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SHOKT  STATEMENT  OF  PACTS 


RELATING      TO 


THE  HISTORY,  MANNERS,  CUSTOMS,  LANGUAGE,  AND 
LITERATURE 


itticmoc  €ribe  of  Julians, 


NOVA-SCOTIA  AND  P.  E.  ISLAND. 


By  S.  T.  RAND. 


j  Ben1?  the   substance  of  Two  Lectures  delivered  in  Halifax,  in  November, 
at  Public  Meetiugs  held  for  the  purpose  of  instituting  a 
Mission  to  that  Tribe. 


PUBLISHED    UNDER    THE    DIRECTION    OF    THE   COMMITTEE   FOR    SU- 
PERINTENDING   THE    MISSION. 


["*t 


HALIFAX,  N.  S. 

PUIXTED    BY    JAMES    BOWES   &    SON. 


1850. 


non-subscribers,  7£d.    Profits  devoted  wholly  to  the 
/  objects  of  the  Mission. 


V"Ct  CANAbiANA 

:hancellor  COLLECTION 
Richardson  ril  rccxi'n 
Memorial  H^teNS 

Fund  UMvenshy 

AT  RlNQSTON 


ONTARIO    CANADA 


The  EDITH  and  LORNE  PIERrF" 
COLLECTION./CANADIANA 


^^V»ivermy  at  Kingston 


SHORT  STATEMENT  OP  FACTS 


RELATING      TO 


THE  HISTORY,  MANNERS,  CUSTOMS,  LANGUAGE,  AND 
LITERATURE 


ittkmac   ®xib*   of  JiiMans, 


NOVA-SCOTIA  AND  P.  E.  ISLAND. 


By  S.  T.  RAND. 


Being  the  substance  of  Two   Lectures  delivered  in  Halifax,  in  November, 

IS  10,  at  Public  Meetings  held  for  the  purpose  of  instituting  a 

Mission  to  that  Tribe. 


rrBLISHED    UNDER   THE    DIRECTION    OF    THE  COMMITTEE   FOR  SUPER- 
INTENDING   THE   MISSION. 


HALIFAX,  N.  S. 

PRINTED   BY    JAMES   BOWES   &    SON. 
1830. 


• 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  object  of  the  following  pages,  is  the  spiritual  and 
temporal  good  of  the  Micrnac  Indians.  They  have  been 
written  for  the  purpose  of  arousing  christians  of  every 
name,  to  the  importance  of  carrying  out,  more  faithfully 
than  has  ever  yet  been  done,  the  design  of  the  "  great 
commission" — " Go  teach  all  nations,"  "Go  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature."  This  commission  has  been 
in  the  hands  of  the  Church  for  1800  years.  Every  chris- 
tian is  authorised  by  it  to  do  all  the  good,  and  to  attempt 
all  the  good,  in  his  power,  both  to  the  souls  and  bodies  of 
his  fellow  men.  of  every  nation,  of  every  rank,  and  of 
every  condition.  And  this  is,  too,  one  of  the  first  dictates 
of  real  piety.  It  is  a  serious  fact,  however,  for  which  it 
is  impossible  to  account  satisfactorily,  that  this  great  com- 
mission has  been,  so  far  as  relates  to  the  poor  Micmac, 
almost  wholly  overlooked  by  Protestants.  They  have 
been  in  our  midst ;  but  they  and  we  have  been  strangers. 
From  our  infancy  we  have  been  familiar  with  their  mise- 
rable appearance,  their  poverty,  their  deg|«lation,  and 
their  vices.  They  have  bsen  pitied,  writtefPabout,  and 
talked  about.  The  philanthropist,  the  christian,  and  eve- 
ry lover  of  justice,  must  have  often  grieved  for  the  wrongs 
they  have  sustained.  Occasional  and  momentary  efforts 
have  been  made  to  promote  their  civilization  and  salva- 
tion. Wherever  these  efibrts  have  been  made,  they  have 
to  some  extent  been  successful.  But  hitherto  no  syste- 
matic and  persevering  exertions  have  been  made,  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  true  knowledge  of  salvation.  The 
power  of  the  Gospel,  i:  to  save  all  those  who  believe," 
both  from  temporal  and  eternal  ruin,  has  never  been  real- 
ly tried  upon  them.  The  question  now  brought  before 
the  christian  public,  for  their  decision,  is,  whether  it  shall 
be  always  thus  1    Whether  we  have  any  warrant  for 


NTRODUCTIO.X. 


overlooking  the  Indian,  in  onr  efforts  for  a  world's  en- 
lightenment and  salvation  ?  Whether  we  can,  as  believers 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  see  the  remnants  of  this  nation 
doomed  to  be  deprived  of  their  means  of  existence,  to  fall 
victims  to  decay,  and  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  vortex 
of  rnin,  into  which  onr  vices  have  helped  to  throw  them; 
without  making  an  effort,  in  the  strength  of  Omnipotence, 
to  save  them  ?  Under  such  circumstances,  could  we  dare 
to  meet  them  at  the  Judgment  Bar,  in  the  great  day  of 
account. 

The  christian  public  is  beginning  to  awake  to  this  mat- 
ter. We  all  wonder,  and  well  we  may,  how  it  came  to 
be  so  long  neglected. 

But  previously  to  detailing  what  has  been  done,  or  at- 
tempted, a  few  facts  are  to  be  stated,  respecting  the  his- 
tory, customs,  language,  literature,  and  religious  belief  of 
this  interesting  but  long  neglected  people.  These  facts 
have  been  chiefly  collected  from  themselves,  and  from  the 
observations  of  the  writer,  while  mingling  among  them 
somewhat  during  the  past  three  years. 


THE 

HISTORY,     &c, 


MICMAC    TRIBE    OF    INDIANS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

TIIE    HISTORY    OF    THE    MICMACS THEIR    EARLIEST    HISTORY FIRST 

DISCOVERY    OF    THE    WHITES WARS    WITH    THE    MOHAWKS. 

The  earlier  history  of  the  Aborigines  of  America,  is  involved  in  total 
darkness.  From  what  part  of  the  world  they  migrated,  and  at  what 
period,  is  unknown.  There  are  various  and  conflicting  theories  on  the 
subject,  but  nothing  satisfactory.  Some  have  concluded  that  they  came 
from  Asia,  and  some,  from  other  portions  of  the  globe.  Some  have 
conducted  them,  by  a  northern  journey,  across  Behring's  Straits  ;  and 
others  have  found  the  means  of  accommodating  them  with  a  more  di- 
rect and  easier  transit.  But  it  is  now  generally  admitted  that  of  their 
earlier  histoiy,  as  inhabitants  of  this  western  world,  we  know  just  no- 
thing. But  we  can  go  back  beyond  this.  Their  earliest  history  we 
can  trace  with  certainty.  An  authentic  record  traces  ^A*  some  hun- 
dreds of  years.  Their  ancestors  were  born,  and  grew^Hmd  labored, 
and  suffered,  and  died,  along  with  our  ancestors.  At  CTrat  period  the 
progenitor  of  the  degraded  inhabitant  of  the  most  wretched  wigwam, 
dwelt  in  the  same  hut,  ate  from  the  same  dish,  gathered  pebbles  from 
the  same  brook,  and  slept  on  the  same  strand,  with  the  progenitor  of 
Britain's  Queen.  Their  genealogical  line  runs  side  by  side  for  ages. 
Aye,  and  the  ancestors  of  the  Indians,  and  our  ancestors,  and  those  of 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  were  once  crowded  together,  with  beasts 
and  reptiles,  and  living  things  that  had  breath,  of  every  kind,  in  one 
vessel,  and  floated  over  the  billows,  and  were  preserved  together  from 
the  common  destruction,  when  the  flood  of  waters  "  covered  all  the  high 
hills  which  were  under  heaven,  and  every  living  substance  which  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  ground,  was  destroyed  from  the  earth,  and  Noah 
only  remained  alive  and  those  that  Avere  with  him  in  the  ark."  The 
Micmac  can  therefore  boast  of  ancestry  as  ancient  and  as  noble  as  the 
proudest  of  Adam's  race.  He  is  indeed  our  brother ;  for  the  Bible 
teaches  us  that  "God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  the  nations  of  men  to 
dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  fixed  the  bounds  of  their 


<>  THE     MICMAC      INDIANS. 

habitations."  And  it  is  instructive  to  know  that  as  deep  a  mystery 
hangs  over  the  earlier  portion  of  the  history  of  Great  Britain,  as  that 
which  rests  upon  America,  and  that  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  England 
very  much  resembled  the  Indians  of  the  western  world.  They  lived  in 
miserable  cabins,  in  the  midst  of  gloomy  forests ;  they  engaged  in  fero- 
cious wars ;  they  painted  their  bodies,  and  dressed  in  skins.  Their 
chiefs  attached  the  horns  of  cattle  to  their  heads,  as  the  Indian  chief  of 
the  far  west  does  to  this  day,  the  horns  of  the  buffalo  to  his ;  they  wor- 
shipped hideous  idols,  and  offered  human  sacrifices.  The  well-known 
advice  of  Cicero's  friend,  not  to  purchase  his  slaves  from  among  the 
British  captives,  as  they  were  too  stupid  to  learn  anything,  occurs  im- 
mediately to  one's  thoughts  while  reflecting  on  the  possibility  of  eleva- 
ting the  Indian  from  his  present  degradation,  to  the  rank  of  a  man. 

But  there  is  not  only  solid  ground  beyond  the  region  of  uncertainty, 
upon  which  the  historian  may  plant  his  foot,  there  is  also  as  firm  stand- 
ing on  this  side  of  that  region.  We  can  easily  trace  the  history  of  the 
Micmacs,  as  well  as  those  of  other  tribes,  for  the  last  two  hundred 
years.  And  during  this  period,  strange  and  affecting  events  have  been 
crowded  into  their  history.  We  should  look  upon  it  as  they  relate  it 
themselves.  Strangers  landed  on  their  coast,  and  were  received  in 
a  friendly  manner.  They  retired  and  returned  in  larger  numbers. 
They  took  posesssion  of  the  lands  ;  treated  the  Indians  as  though 
they  had  no  rights  ;  employed  them  in  their  wars,  and  rewarded 
them  for  their  deeds  of  cruelty.  It  is  instructive  to  reflect  how  their 
history  and  that  of  the  nation  to  which  it  is  our  boast  to  belong,  is 
woven  together  during  this  period.  The  two  cannot  possibly  be  sepa- 
rated. The  white  man  dealt  treacherously  with  the  Indian,  and  he 
dealt  treacherously  witli  the  white  man.  They  boast  that  in  their  col- 
lisions with  the  English  they  killed  many  more  of  us  than  we  did  of 
them  ;  and  they  cannot  attach  blame  to  their  forefathers  for  their  deeds 
of  valor.  True  they  applied  the  brand  to  the  lonely  habitation,  they 
often  shot  down  the  husband  and  the  father ;  dashed  out  the  brains  of 
the  infant,  anil  dragged  the  mother  and  elder  children  into  captivity. 
But  where^H  I  Because  they  delighted  in  blood  ?  By  no  means. 
Their  naturel^^re  no  more  cruel  than  those  of  other  men ;  but  they 
felt  themselves  bound  to  redress  the  wrongs  they  had  sustained,  and 
they  were  also  rewarded  for  these  deeds.  The  Indian  now  shudders 
as  he  relates  the  barbarities  of  former  times;  but  he  says,  "  ffenuchk 
teladalcadipk  ok  Aglaseauk" — "The French  and  English  must  bear  the 
blame."  "They  hired  the  Indians  to  butcher  the  whites.  They  gave 
them  a  fixed  price  for  the  death  of  every  foe ;  and  the  scalp  was  torn 
off—  the  Indian  will  go  on  to  explain — not  because  his  grandfather  was 
a  cruel  man,  but  because  it  served  as  evidence,  stuga  ivegadigunchcja, 
"  like  a  written  document.'' 

During  the  period  now  under  consideration,  they  have  been  paying 
more  attention  to  our  history,  than  we  hi  ve  to  'heirs.  We  have  record- 
ed but  a  small  portion  of  their  words  and  deeds ;  but  the  whole  volume 
of  our  actions  is  preserved  among  ^hem.  They  have  only  occasionally 
interested  us.  We  have  always  interested  them.  The  white  man  may- 
pass  from  one  end  of  Nova  Scotia  to  the  other,  and  travel  all  over  the 
adjacent  Islands,  and  see  but  little  which  reminds  him,  with  any  force, 


THE      MICMAC      INDIANS.  / 

of  those  who  once  owned  and  occupied  the  soil;  but  the  Indian  can 
travel  nowhere,  arid  pitch  his  tent  nowhere,  without  seeing  tHat  wlfich 
forcibly  reminds  him  of  those  who  now  have  it  in  possession.  Our 
towns,  our  vifla£es,  cur  highways,  and  every  farmhouse  and  bye-pnth, 
are  to  him  striking  and  affecting  mementoes.  Sit.  down  in  his  wigwarn 
and  gain  his  confidence,  and  ho  will  tell  you  your  history,  and  that  of 
your  fathers,  lie  will  refer  to  those  happy  days  when  his  fathers  held 
undisputed  possession  of  all  these  regions,  as  the  gift  of  the  Great  Spi- 
rit. Then  they  were  at  peace  among  themselves ;  drunkenness  with 
its  fearful  effects  was  unheard  of;  the  forests  abounded  with  game;  the 
rivers  with  fish ;  and  poverty  and  want  were  unknown.  They  could 
then  muster  by  thousands.  The  various  diseases  which  have  of  late 
years  swept  them  away  had  not  reached  them.  Sheltered  in  the  forests 
from  the  cold  ;  experiencing  comparatively  few  changes  in  their  diet 
and  modes  of  living,  and  bountifully  supplied  with  covering,  they  lived 
on  through  a  long  period  of  years.  They  could  spread  down  the  skins 
of  the  bear  and  moose,  said  an  old  Indian  to  me  a  short  time  since,  and 
cover  themselves  over  with  others,  and  in  the  severest  weather  they 
would  be  warm  and  comfortable  anywhere.  "  But,"  he  continued  with 
emotion,  "  it  is  not  so  now.  Our  lands  have  been  taken  away  ;  the 
forests  have  been  cut  down  and  the  moose  and  the  bear  nearly  exter- 
minated. We  have  no  skins  now  with  which  to  wrap  ourselves  up  in 
the  winter.  Government,  it  is  true,  gives  us  a  bit  of  a  blanket,  and  we 
spread  it  over  the  children.  One  awakes  crying  with  the  cold,  and 
gives  it  a  pull ;  and  then  another  awakes  crying,  and  he  gives  it  a 
pull ;  and  (suiting  the  action  to  the  word),  '  by-and-bye  they  pull  'em 
all  to  pieces.' " 

They  have  a  tradition  respecting  the  first  visit  of  the  whites.  An 
Indian  on  Cape  Breton,  discovered  a  strange  track  on  the  beach.  He 
followed  it.  It  was  not  a  man's  track,  he  concluded,  as  neither  the  im- 
pression of  the  naked  foot,  nor  of  the  moccasin  was  made.  Still  it  was 
the  length  of  his  own  foot,  and  the  steps  corresponded  in  distance  to 
his.  What  could  it  be  ?  Was  it  some  kind  of  man  ?  4ff  he  advanced 
he  discovered  indications  which  confirmed  this  supposiflR.  A  ship  at 
anchor  soon  burst  upon  his  view.  He  then  returned  and  told  his  com- 
panions. The  strangers  landed,  and  visited  the  wigwams.  They  could 
not  understand  their  language,  and  conversed  by  signs — "speaking 
with  their  hands,"  as  they  expressed  it.  The  noise  of  the  gains  aston- 
ished them.  The  strangers  gave  them  some  biscuit,  and  other  things  ; 
and  gained  their  confidence.  They  say  that  soon  a  young  Indian  was 
conveyed  away  to  France,  and  finally  came  back,  and  could  then  speak 
French.  Their  language  at  present  bears  the  impress  of  the  nation 
that  first  took  up  a  lodgement  among  them.  Those  European  animals 
and  things  which  have  some  resemblance  to  those  with  which  they 
were  previously  acquainted,  still  bear  the  Indian  name,  with  the  appel- 
lation French  prefixed.  Wcnuch  is  their  word  for  a  Frenchman.  This 
in  composition  is  shortened  into  Jf'enj.  Te-am  is  a  moose,  ivnijuteam, 
an  ox  or  cow.  Wigwam,  a  hut — wenjegWom,  a  house,  or  a  French  hut. 
Soon,  a  cranberry.  Wenjiisoon,  an  apple,  or  a  French  cranberry.  And 
so  for  some  forty  or  fifty  words.  For  such  objects  as  nothing  with 
which  they  were  acquainted  resembled,  they  adopted,  and  Have  pre- 
served the  French  name 


O  THE      MICMAC      INDIANS. 

In  the  records  of  the  history  of  Nova  Scotia,  are  preserved  accounts 
of  several  battles  with  the  Indians,  and  other  matters  relating  to  them ; 
with  the  treaty  of  peace  finally  concluded.  They  have  also  themselves 
preserved  the  history  of  these  events ;  especially  the  latter,  deeply  en- 
graved in  their  memories.  They  say  that  for  a  long  time  it  was  vm- 
tundimk,  matundimk,  "  war,  war," — that  finally  they  made  peace.  The 
English  Governor  met  with  them  in  Council;  he  and  the  Indian 
chief  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  together ;  they  then  dug  a  hole  in 
the  earth,  and  buried  their  weapons.  They  remark  with  emphasis, 
that  the  Tomahawk,  or  Tomegun,  as  is  the  Micmac  name,  was  buried 
lowest.  This  implied  that  the  Indian  would  not  pull  up  his  weapon, 
until  the  English  should  have  pulled  up  his.  He  would  not  be  the  Jirst 
to  violate  the  treaty.  And  they  say  they  have  always  strictly  adhered 
to  it ;  but  that  the  English  have  not ;  a  charge,  alas !  too  well  founded. 

The  Micmacs  boast  that  they  are  the  bravest  and  best  of  the  Indian 
nations.  They  look  down  upon  the  others  and  speak  of  them  with 
contempt.  Each  of  the  other  tribes,  it  is  probable,  have  the  same  con- 
ceit of  themselves.  And  what  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  thinks 
otherwise  respecting  their  own  superiority  ?  The  Micmacs  say  they 
once  almost  annihilated  the  "  Mountaineers."  They  boast,  too,  that  in 
their  differences  with  the  English,  they  destroyed  far  more  than  they 
lost.  And  they  will  not  allow  that  they  were  worsted  even  by  the  Mo- 
hawks. This  latter  statement,  I  am  aware,  is  not  the  usual  impression 
among  the  whites ;  but  it  is  what  has  been  told  me  by  Indians  in  differ- 
ent places.  With  the  Mohawks  they  had  a  long  and  fearful  war.  One 
event  of  this  period  I  wrote  down,  in  Micmac,  from  the  mouth  of  an 
Indian,  since  dead,  who  resided  near  Charlottetown,  named  Jacob 
Michell.  He  learned  it  from  an  old  man,  who  died  some  years  ago. 
It  is  without  doubt  true  in  the  general  statements,  though  interspersed 
with  idle  fables,  respecting  the  supernatural  powers  of  their  chiefs.  It 
well  illustrates  the  Indian  character.  It  exhibits  him  in  domestic  life, 
and  in  war.  The  marvellous  portions  of  it  show  what  high  pretensions 
were  formerl]»ttade  by  their  leading  men  ;  and  also  what  is  still  most 
firmly  believejknong  them.  The  whole  tale  is  too  long  for  insertion. 
The  substance  of  it  is  here  given  : 

"  There  was  once  a  large  Indian  settlement  near  the  mouth  of  a  river. 
One  autumn  a  party  of  the  men  went  up  the  river,  according  to  custom, 
on  a  hunting  expedition.  Two  of  their  braves  left  the  rest,  and  took 
up  their  abode  in  one  wigwam,  about  half  way  from  the  main  settle- 
ment, to  the  place  where  the  rest  went.  There  they  engaged  in  hunt- 
ing, and  taking  care  of  their  venison  and  fur,  during  the  whole  winter. 
The  name  of  the  principal  man  was  Ababejit.  He  had  a  wife  who  had 
three  children  by  a  former  husband,  two  boys  and  one  girl.  His  com- 
rade was  married,  but  had  no  children.  The  whole  party  consisted  of 
seven.  All  they  had  collected  during  the  winter,  was,  in  the  spring, 
brought  down  to  the  river,  and  they  were  waiting  for  the  ice  to  break 
up,  that  they  might  convey  it  home  in  their  canoes.  A  war  party  of 
Mohawks  discovered  the  wigwam,  and  planned  an  attack  upon  it  the 
ensaing  night.  Of  this  attack  Ababejit  was  admonished  in  a  dream, 
while  resting  from  bis  morning's  hunting  excursion.  He  dreamed  that 
q  flock  of  pigeons  alighted  upon  the  wigwam,  and  completely  covered 


TIIK    MICMAC    INDIAXS.  9 

the  top  of  it  Such  u  dream  invariably  portended  war.  Annoyed  with 
his  comrade,  who  was  also  a  brave,  because  he  would  not  believe  that 
any  rpvelation  had  been  made,  seeing  he  had  received  no  intimation  of 
it  himself,  from  the  Great  Spirit,  Ababejit  woujd  not  disclose  the  coining 
event  to  any  of  them.  They  lay  down  as  usual,  and  were  soon  asleep ; 
but  he  kept  watch,  gun  in  hand,  seated  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  wig- 
wam, during  the  live-long  night.  The  war  party  was  very  large, 
Some  delay  in  their  operations  was  occasioned  by  the  breaking  up  or 
the  ice,  which  made  it  difficult  for  them  to  cross  the  river.  They 
crossed,  however,  and  drew  up  around  the  wigwam,  just  as  the  day  was 
breaking.  Ababejit  knew  all  their  movements,  and  just  as  several 
guns  were  raised  in  the  doorway,  he  struck  his  comrade  with  the  breech 
of  his  gun,  and  said  to  him,  kwedabtkw  nuga  nuuchase,  '  we  are  all 
killed,  now  get  up.'  At  that  instant  the  Mohawks  tired.  The  girl  was 
just  in  the  act  of  springing  up,  and  was  shot  dead.  Ababejit,  being 
wide  awake,  was  not  hurt.  The  bullets  could  not  penetrate  his  body  ; 
but  rattled  and  fell  to  the  ground.  Had  his  companion  been  awake  his 
body  would  also  have  been  impervious.  But,  alas !  for  his  unbelief, 
and  envious  ambition !  He  was  but  half  awake,  and  therefore  one  of 
his  legs  was  shot  away.  Had  he  been  asleep  he  would  have  been  kill- 
ed ;  had  he  been  fully  awake  he  would  have  sustained  no  injury  at  all. 
The  Mohawks  having  discharged  their  pieces,  rushed  upon  the  '  camp."1 
Three  of  their  braves  attempted  to  force  an  entrance,  and  in  their 
eagerness  wedged  up  the  door.  Ababejit  sent  a  bullet  through  the 
heart  of  one — for,  be  it  observed,  a  brave  can  kill  a  brave,  though  no 
one  else  can.  The  surviving  two  sprung  upon  him,  seized  him,  and 
attempted  to  bind  him,  that  they  might  lead  him  home  as  a  captive,  and 
enjoy  the  luxury  of  torturing  and  burning  him.  But  the  Micmac  had 
no  notion  of  gratifying  them  in  this  way.  A  desperate  struggle  ensued 
— a  struggle  for  life  and  death.  The  report  of  the  guns  had  not  awa- 
kened the  two  boys ;  but  the  scuffle  aroused  and  alarmed  them.  '  Who 
is  this  attacking  my  stepfather ?'  cried  the  eldest.  'We  are  all  killed,' 
exclaimed  the  old  man.  The  boy  drew  his  knife  and  sprang  to  the 
rescue.  The  two  Mohawks  were  instantly  dispatched,  dJthe°old  man 
was  free. 

"  But  the  other  Micmac  chief  was  not  idle.  He  had  lost  one  leg, 
but  he  had  another  left ;  and  the  perfect  use  of  his  arms.  His  courage 
and  strength  being  superhuman,  remained  in  all  their  force.  He  had 
seized  the  tomahawk,  and  taken  his  station  by  the  door,  where  he  made 
quick  dispatch  of  all  who  attempted  to  enter ;  and  singing  the  death- 
song  as  he  smote  them  down,  he  tossed  their  lifeless  bodies  to  the  back 
part  of  the  '  camp?  Ababejit  had  left  his  lance,  the  day  before,  sticking 
in  a  tree,  at  some  distance.  He  bolts  out  of  the  '  camp?  rushes  through 
the  midst  of  his  enemies,  and  makes  for  this  weapon.  Three  men  semi 
him,  and  nearly  overpower  him;  but  uniting  artifice  with  strength,  he 
disengages  himself,  and  again  darts  forward  towards  the  tree  where  his 
lance  is.  Once  more  he  is  seized;  and  once  more  he  is  free.  The 
weapon  is  now  in  his  hands;  and  he  turns  upon  his  foes.  He  fought 
like  a  tiger  maddened  with  rage.  Terrible  was  the  slaughter  that  en- 
sued. Samson  with  his  jaw-bone,  levelling  the  Philistines,  heaps  upon 
heaps  ;  an  Achilles  or  a  Hector,  dealing  death  among  their  foes  :  or  the 

15 


JO  '  THE    MICMAC    INDIANS. 

sword  of  Mechuel  'felling  squadrons  at  once,'  would  scarcely  gain  by 
the  comparison,  could  but  a  Homer  or  a  Milton  tell  the  tale.  But  fresh 
combatants  closed  in  upon  him,  as  those  in  front  gave  way.  He  at 
length  grew  weary  in  the  work  of  death.  He  announced  himself  at 
the  door  of  the  camp,  and  was  permitted  to  enter.  He  sat  down  and 
took  breath.  His  comrade  still  continued  his  song,  killing  every  man 
who  attempted  to  enter.  Ababejit  now  directs  the  two  boys  to  keep 
quiet  until  he  should  have  gone  out  and  engaged  the  enemy  again. 
Then  they  Avere  to  creep  out  carefully  at  the  back  part  of  the  wigwam, 
and  make  all  haste  down  to  their  settlement,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
and  give  the  alarm ;  that  the  warriors  of  their  tribe  might  hasten  to  the 
rescue.  They  obeyed ;  but  were  discovered  and  pursued.  Ababejit 
gave  chase  to  the  pursuers ;  but  they  were  younger  and  swifter  upon 
the  foot  than  he.  But  he  calls  in  the  aid  of  magic.  The  terrible  war 
yell  arrests  them.  As  he  utters  it  they  are  deprived  of  all  power ;  they 
cannot  move  a  limb.  He  kills  them  ;  but  he  has  scarcely  turned  his 
face  again  towards  the  warriors  who  surround  the  '  camp,'  when  he 
espies  another  man  running  towards  the  boys.  'Ula  aleyu,'  he  cries, 
'  come  this  way.'  '  Ula  chenum,'  '  here's  a  man  for  you.'  '  Let  those 
children  alone.'  This  poor  fellow  shares  of  course  the  fate  of  the 
others. 

"  But  now  the  boys  are  frightened,  and  dare  not  leave  the  old  man. 
They  beg  of  him  to  go  on  with  them  to  the  settlement,  and  not  return 
to  the  camp.  But  they  hear  the  two  women  shrieking  for  help.  Their 
mother  is  crying  out, '  Where  is  Ababajit?  He  promised  me  he  would 
stand  by  me  and  defend  me  to  the  last.'  '  Must  I  leave  your  mother,' 
he  says  to  the  boys,  '  to  be  killed  by  the  Mohawks.'  But  the  cries  of 
the  mother,  and  the  remonstrances  of  the  father,  are  vain.  Self-preser- 
vation animates  them,  and  he  concludes  to  protect  the  future  warriors, 
rather  than  the  women.  '  Lay  it  up  for  them,'  says  the  boys,  '  and 
avenge  it  at  a  future  day.'  They  go  away  home  together,  leaving  the 
wounded  brave,  and  the  women,  to  their  fate.  A  general  onset  is  now 
made  by  thadMohawks  upon  the  wigwam,  which  is  torn  to  pieces,  and 
scattered  in^very  direclion.  Ababejit's  wife  and  the  man  with  one 
leg  are  dispatched  and  scalped ;  and  a  tomahawk  is  raised  over  the 
head  of  the  other  woman,  when  a  chief  cries  out,  '  Neen  n'tabitem,' 
'  she  shall  be  my  wife.'     This  decides  her  lot  and  she  is  spared. 

"  The  Mohawks  now  earefully  collect  all  their  slain,  and  hide  them 
under  the  shelving  bank  of  the  river.  They  then  carry  off  all  the  plun- 
der and  secrete  it  in  the  woods  on  the  top  of  a  mountain.  Ababejit 
soon  returns  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  warriors.  There  lie  the  dead  of 
their  own  party,  scalped  of  course,  and  everything  valuable  has  been 
carried  off.  They  search  long  and  anxiously  for  the  Mohawks ;  but  in 
vain.  The  latter  kindle  no  fires  in  the  daytime,  lest  the  smoke  should 
betray  them.  But  before  they  dare  venture  forth  their  provision  is  all 
spent,  and  they  have  grown  so  thin  in  flesh,  that  their  rows  of  teeth 
can  be  distinctly  seen  through  their  lantern  cheeks.  The  Micmacs 
have  now  given  up  the  search  and  returned  home.  The  snow  is  gone, 
the  river  is  clear  of  ice,  and  the  Mohawks  having  first  built  a  sufficient 
number  of  canoes,  have  started  for  home.  But  just  at  this  time  the 
hunting  party  of  Micmacs,  who  had  gone  up  the  River  the  previous 


THE    MIC  MAC    INDIANS,  I  I 

Autumn,  and  who  had  been  engaged  in  hunting-  all  winter,  were  also 
returning  home  in  their  canoes,  laden  with  the  product  of  their  labors. 
They  met  on  a  large  lake,  just  as  eacli  party  was  rounding  a  point. 
They  were  thus  in  close  quarters  before  either  party  could  be  disco- 
vered by  the  other.  The  Micmacs  recognised  the  captive  woman  in 
the  chief's  canoe,  and  readily  divined  what  had  happened.  No  hostile 
demonstration  was,  however,  made  by  either  party.  They  met  and  sa- 
luted each  other  on  apparently  the  most  friendly  terms.  The  Micmac 
chief  proposed  to  his  brother  Mohawk,  that  as  they  might  never  see 
each  other  again  they  should  land  and  spend  the  night  together.  He 
consented.  But  no  one  slept  during  the  night.  Each  party,  and  each 
individual,  very  naturally  mistrusted  that  under  this  display  of  friend- 
ship, there  lurked  a  design  of  misehief.  The  sagacious  Mohawk  took 
care  that  his  worthy  brothers  should  have  no  conversation  with  the 
captive  at  his  side.  But  they  out-generalled  him.  Busily  preparing 
for  the  night's  lodging,  they  were  moving  in  all  directions,  when,  just 
in  passing,  some  one  whispered  in  her  ear,  '  Ukchenumumok  ?'  '  Where 
is  your  husband  ?'  '  Chelautok,'  is  as  hastily  replied, — '  he  is  slain.' 
This  was  sufficient.     Vengeance  is  resolved  on. 

"Unluckily  for  the  Mohawks  their  chief  had  left  his  kettle  some  dis- 
tance down  the  river,  the  previous  day.  The  sun  had  scarcely  risen, 
when  he,  with  his  stolen  wife,  (it  is  thus  she  is  designated  in  the  tale,) 
launches  his  canoe,  and  goes  back  in  quest  of  this  important  article  of 
wigwam  furniture.  Now  then  is  the  Micmac's  opportunity.  '  Prepare 
the  fattest  and  choicest  pieces,'  says  he  to  his  boys,  '  and  give  your 
brothers  their  breakfast'  With  appetites  sharpened  by  long  fasting, 
they  eat  enormously.  The  expected  result  ensues.  They  are  soon 
stretched  on  the  ground  asleep.  '  Now  prepare  your  guns',  is  the 
order  given  by  the  wily  chief.  No  sooner  said  than  done.  Each  war- 
rior selects  his  victim.  The  deadly  weapon  is  raised ;  deliberate  aim 
is  taken ;  and  one  volley  lays  every  Mohawk  dead.  But  the  work  yet 
is  only  half  accomplished.  The  Mohawk  chief  who  is  a  brave,  and 
possessed  of  superhuman  powers,  still  lives,  and  is  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  hundreds  of  the  ordinary  grade.  It  is  well  known  "that  there  is 
but  one  among  the  Micmacs  who  can  kill  him  ;  but  one  that  he  would 
dread  to  meet ;  but  one  that  he  would  even  deign  to  fight  in  single 
encounter.  This  is  the  chief  himself ;  and  should  he  be  killed,  woe  be 
to  the  rest  of  them.  Now  then  for  a  specimen  of  Indian  tactics  in 
warfare.  Half  of  the  living  Micmacs  exchanged  dresses  with  the  dead 
Mohawks ;  then  launched  their  canoes,  and  commenced  sporting  upon 
the  smooth  waters  of  the  lake  ;  while  the  dead  men  were  placed  on  the 
bank,  and  carefully  adjusted  so  as  to  give  them  the  appearance  of  being 
alive,  looking  at  the  others.  The  party  on  shore,  and  the  party  on  the 
lake,  would  seem  by  their  dress  to  be  made  up  of  each  tribe.  The  Mo- 
hawk chief  had  found  his  kettle,  and  was  leisurely  impelling  his  canoe 
back  against  the  stream,  when  he  was  startled  by  the  discharge  of  fire- 
arms. '  Maiundimk  P  he  exclaimed, — '  there  is  fighting !'  and  onward 
darted  his  canoe.  But  when  he  came  in  sight  he  perceived  his  own  men, 
as  he  supposed,  mingled  with  the  others,  moving  about  in  the  greatest 
harmony,  occasionally  discharging  their  guns,  and  following  each  dis- 
charge with  shouts  and  roars  of  laughter;  while  another  party  were 


IS  THE    MICMAC    INDlArffc 

reclining- leisurely  upon  the  bank,  looking  on.  iMogua  matundtrntk: 
pttboltijikj  said  he  to  the  woman.  'They  are  not  fighting;  they  are 
only  at  play.'  But  as  he  approached  the  shore,  he  observed  that  those 
on  the  bank  never  stirred,  nor  even  moved  their  heads.  Me  suspected 
all  was  not  right.  He  had,  however,  but  little  time  for  reflection. 
The  Micmac  chief  had  secreted  himself  near  the  landing  place, 
ral  of  bis  men  had  run  down  to  the  water,  as  if  to  meet  them.  'Turn 
the  canoe,  side  to  the  land,'  they  cried  to  the  woman.  She  did  so. 
The  Micmac  fired ;  but  missed  his  man.  The  canoe  was  capsized ; 
the  woman  thrown  into  the  water;  and  away  went  the  Mohawk,  swim- 
ming below  the  surface  until  he  was  far  out  in  the  middle  of  the  lake. 
The  story  gravely  asserts,  and  I  shall  not  take  upon  me  either  to 
change  or  modify  it,  that  it  was  two  hours  before  he  came  to  the  top ! 
that  he  then  came  up  '  in  the  snaps  of  a  loon,''  gave  two  or  three 
screams  after  the  manner  of  that  bird,  to  let  them  know,  I  suppose, 
where  he  was ;  and  then  dived  again,  continuing  as  long  below  the 
water  as  before.  '  Quick  !  launch  the  canoes  ;'  shouted  the  Micmac 
chief;  and  away  they  went  to  the  search.  No  one  could  see  him  but 
the  chief,  but  he  was^soon  moving  about  among  the  canoes,  searching 
for  his  equal,  and  scorning  to  lay  hands  on  those  of  ordinary  rank. 
His  proximity  was  indicated  by  the  occasional  capsizing  of  a  canoe  ; 
but  no  one  was  hurt.  At  length  the  Micmac  chief  discovered  him, 
and  aimed  a  deadly  blow  at  him  with  his  spear.  But  he  missed  him. 
And  now  there  are  no  more  canoes  upset.  Again  he  approaches  the 
chief's  canoe,  swimming  under  water,  and  invisible  to  all  eyes  save  to 
those  of  the  chief. — Again  he  is  struck  at,  and  again  missed.  •  Now,' 
says  the  chief,  stepping  forward  into  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  '  I  have  but 
one  more  chance,'  for  it  seems  the  '  third  time  is  the  trying  time'  with 
them,  as  well  as  with  more  civilized  nations  This  'third  and  last 
time'  soon  comes;  and  now  he  is  successful.  'He  is  running  off  with 
the  line,  spear  and  all,'  exclaims  the  triumphant  chief.  The  men  begin 
to  search  for  him,  supposing  him  to  be  dead  somewhere  near.  'He'll 
not  die  in  the  Avater,'  says  the  chief.  '  lie  will  take  to  the  shore  as 
fast  as  possible.  Let  us  folloAv  him.'  They  obey ;  and,  sure  enough, 
there  he  is,  wounded  but  not  killed.  The  young  warriors  are  for  rush- 
ing upon  him  at  once  ;  but  the  chief  restrains  them.  '  Should  he  kill 
one  of  you,'  says  he, '  he  would  be  just  as  well  as  ever.'  No  one  must 
approach  him  but  the  the  chief,  and  he  soon  dispatches  him. 

"And  now  occurs  another  fearful  act  in  the  tragedy.  'Come,  bury 
your  husband,'  they  say  to  the  rescued  woman,  alluding  to  the  one  who 
had  been  killed  by  the  Mohawks.  So  they  convey  the  dead  Mohawk 
chief  a  little  distance  from  the  shore.  The  woman  takes  a  knife  and 
plunges  it  into  his  breast.  She  then  takes  the  scalp  of  her  murdered 
husband,  whieh  the  Mohawk  had  been  carrying  off,  and  buries  it  deep 
in  his  breast. 

"1  must  sum  up  the  remainder  of  the  tale  in  a  few  words.  The 
woman  is  carried  home ;  marries  again  ;  accompanies  her  husband  and 
his  two  brothers  on  a  hunting  excursion.  She  remains  alone  during 
the  day,  watching  the  eamp,  and  taking  care  of  the  venison,  while  the 
men  are  hunting.  One  day  she  is  startled  by  the  barking  of  her  little 
dog.    She  looks  up  and  sees  the  alders  all  in  motion,  for  some  distance. 


Till:    MICMAC    I. MM  A. \s.  Hi 

i'lu-v  itre  still  as  soon  as  /ho  dog  gives  the  alarm.  Hlio  thinks  it  a  unr 
party.  The  men,  on  returning  at  evening,  will  not  believe  her.  She 
lakes  her  child,  and  withdraws  sum"  distance  from  the  ramp,  whore 
she  remain*  for  the  night     When  she  awakes,  after  daylight,  she  has 

lost  her  scalp;  her  child  is  killed:  and  the  three  men  are  dead  and 
scalped,  just  where  they  had  lain  down  to  sleep.  She  binds  vip  her 
head;  returns  to  the  settlement,  and  gives  the  alarm.  When  they  see 
the  state  of  her  head,  they  give  credit  to  her  story.  The  warriors  mus- 
ter, and  go  in  quest  of  the  enemy.  But  mogua  kesimtawadigul,  '  they 
cannot  track  the  enemy.'' " 

Pooi  Jacob  would  not  consent  to  my  publishing'  this  tale,  with  his 
name  appended,  lest  the  paper  might  find  its  way  into  Canada,  and  the 
Mohawks  get  hold  of  it  and  be  displeased.  Poor  fellow !  he  need  not 
have  been  alarmed,  and  now  he  is  where  it  can  give  him  no  unea- 
siness. 


CHAPTER  II. 

the  customs  and  manners  of  the  micmacs their  ancient  cus- 
toms— modified  by  the  neighborhood  of  the  whites — an 
Indian's  idea  of  the  whites — domestic  habits — a  wedding  in 

charlottetown the   wigwam — rules   of  etiquette — theik 

devotional  habits. 

All  the  Indians  of  North  America,  except  the  Esquimaux,  strikingly 
resemble  each  other,  in  their  features,  their  languages,  and  their  man- 
ners and  customs.  These  are,  of  course,  all  modified  by  the  approach 
of  civilization.  Any  treatise  on  the  customs  of  any  of  the  tribes  of 
Canada,  or  New  England,  when  they  were  first  discovered,  will  apply 
equally  to  the  Micmacs.  Our  business,  at  present,  is  with  the  existing 
generation.  In  many  respects  they  are  now  different  from  what  they 
once  were.  Formerly  they  dressed  in  skins,  and  painted  their  bodies, 
adorned  themselves  with  shells,  and  feathers  ;  used  bows  and  arrows, 
stone  axes,  and  stone  arrow  heads ;  lived  chiefly  by  hunting  and  fish- 
ing ;  and  delighted  in  war.  They  have  now  very  extensively  changed 
not  only  the  material  of  which  their  clothing  is  made,  but  also  the 
fashion;  adopting  that  of  their  white  neighbours.  The  latter  part  of 
this  statement  is  more  particularly  applicable  to  the  men  than  to  the 
other  sex.  They  now  make  baskets,  buckets,  and  barrels,  and  beg. 
In  some  places  they  till  the  land  on  a  very  limired  scale,  and  dwell  in 
houses.  Drunkenness  is  fearfully  prevalent  among  them  ;  though  not 
so  much  of  late  years  as  formerly ;  and  other  vices  resulting  from  the 
proximity  of  what  we  proudly  call  "  civilization  ;"  a  civilization  which 
too  often  seeks  its  own  interest  and  gratification,  regardless  of  either 
the  temporal  or  spiritual  interests  of  others  ;  caring  for  neither  soul  or 
body.  But  while  we  mourn  over  some  of  these  changes,  there  are 
others  which  call  for  different  emotions.  There  are  no  wars  with  bor- 
dering tribes.     No  ambitious  chieftain  gains  immortal  fame  by  pursuing 


14  THE    MICMAC    INDIANS. 

for  months  his  enemy,  way-laying  him,  and  killing  him.  The  Micmac 
chief  does  not  reckon  among  his  sakamoundel,  or  regalia,  the  scalps  of 
his  slaughtered  foes :  and  there  are  no  torturings  and  burnings  of  pri- 
soners. Chiefs  are,  however,  duly  elected.  The  Indians  assemble  on 
such  occasions  to  give  their  votes,  ahd  any  one  who  knows  any  just 
cause  why  the  candidate  should  not  be  elected,  is  at  liberty  to  state  it. 
Councils  too  are  held,  to  which  ten  different  tribes,  extending  from 
Cape  Breton  to  Western  Canada,  send  their  delegates ;  and  they  seem 
to  consider  the  affair  as  important  as  it  ever  was.  The  mystic  dances, 
too,  of  the  ancient  Indians,  are  not  wholly  omitted.  Part  of  the  cere- 
monies of  their  great  annual  religious  festival  of  St.  Ann's  day,  consists 
of  the  wigubaltimk,  and  neskouwadijik,  the  "  feast"  and  "  mystic  dance" 
of  the  sakaivachkik,  "  the  Indians  of  olden  times."  At  the  proper  time 
a  chief  comes  out  of  a  camp  and  sings  a  singular  tune,  and  dances  a 
singular  step,  and  is  responded  to  by  a  singular  grunt  from  the  assem- 
bled crowd.  And  they  assert  that  during  the  ceremony  the  body  of  the 
dancer  is  impervious  to  a  musket  ball ;  but  woe  betide  the  audacious 
wight  who  might  venture  on  the  experiment  of  attempting  to  shoot  him. 

But  we  pass  to  their  social  habits.  In  few  places  are  the  principles 
of  order,  "  a  place  for  every  thing,  and  every  thing  in  its  place  ;  a  time 
for  every  thing,  and  every  thing  in  its  time  ;  a  station  for  every  one, 
and  every  one  in  his  station ;"  more  fully  carried  out  than  in  the  Indi- 
an's wigwam.  One  unacquainted  with  their  customs,  would  not  suspect 
this.  He  looks  in  upon  the  beings  in  human  form — "  caricatures  of 
humanity,"  as  he  possibly  considers  them — and  every  thing  is  so  differ- 
ent from  his  own  ideas  of  order,  that  he  may  suppose  that  all  is,  in  rea- 
lity, in  as  much  confusion  as  it  appears  to  him.  Little  does  he  suspect 
that  the  tittering  and  chattering,  going  on  among  the  youthful  members 
of  the  group  are  probably  at  his  own  expense,  occasioned  by  his  appa- 
rent ignorance  of  good  breeding.  "Well,"  said  an  Indian,  who  was 
assisting  me  in  translating  Luke  14,  "  Well,  I  would  like  to  read  that 
to  some  of  the  Scotchmen.  I  think  they  might  learn  a  little  manners 
from  it."  He  referred  to  verses  7 — 11,  where  Our  Saviour  gives  direc- 
tions for  the  exercise  of  humility  and  courtesy.  Paul's  habitation  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  Scotch  settlement ;  but  men  of 
any  nation  would  need  some  knowledge  of  Indian  etiquette,  as  well  as 
the  "  Scotch  people"  in  order  to  avoid  giving  offence,  or  being  laughed 
at,  on  visiting  a  wigwam.  "When  they  come  to  our  camps?  said  he, 
"  they  neither  know  where  to  go,  what  to  do,  nor  what  to  say ;  and  they 
commence  asking  questions,  '  what  is  this  ?  what  is  this  ?  what  is  this  r' 
We  say  nothing  to  them  about  it ;  but  we  speak  of  their  ignorance  and 
ill-manners  among  ourselves."  "They  think  us  about  on  a  level  witli 
the  beasts,"  he  continued,  "  but  in  reality  an  Indian  thinks  as  much  of 
his  camp,  as  the  Governor  does  of  his  palace." 

In  speaking  of  the  customs  of  domestic  life,  it  may  be  as  well,  for 
the  sake  of  preserving  some  degree  of  method,  to  commence  where  do- 
mestic life  commenced,  in  Paradise  at  the  wedding.  According  to 
their  traditionary  tales,  very  little  ceremony,  besides  a  feast,  occurred 
in  ancient  times,  when  a  man  received  his  wife.  The  old  people  had 
the  disposing  of  their  daughters.  If  the  young  man's  suit  was  favora- 
bly received,  the  father  of  the  girl  thus  addressed  him  as  he  entered 


THK    MItMAC    INDIANS.  IB 

the  "camp,"  " kutakumugual  nHlusuk,"  "Conic  up  to  the  back  part  of 
the  camp,  my  son-in-law."  This  settled  the  matter.  A  feast  was  then 
prepared  ;  all  the  neighbors  were  invited  ;  they  ate  and  drank ;  danced ; 
and  then  engaged  in  various  sports,  and  finally  dispersed.  The  young 
man  then  took  his  bride  home  with  him.  They  now,  of  course,  call  in 
the  aid  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

The  wigwam  is  a  curious  structure.  No  little  skill  is  displayed  in 
its  erection.  The  frame  is  first  raised  and  fastened.  The  rows  of  bark 
are  carefully  put  on.  In  the  winter  it  is  lined  in  the  inside  with  spruce 
boughs,  and  a  thick  coating  of  the  same  material  put  on  the  outside,  to 
prevent  the  cold  winds  from  entering.  Boughs  are  neatly  spread  down 
inside  "the  camp,"  forming  an  admirable  substitute  for  carpets, 
cushions,  and  beds  ;  and  the  doorway,  in  winter,  is  also  partly  closed 
with  them,  placed  so  as  to  spring  back  and  forth  as  you  pass  and  repass. 
A  piece  of  a  blanket  hangs  over  the  doorway.  Every  post  of  the  wig- 
wam, every  bar,  every  fastening,  every  tier  of  bark,  and  every  appen- 
dage, whether  for  ornament  or  use,  has  a  name ;  and  all  the  different 
portions  of  the  one  room,  their  appropriate  designations  and  uses.  The 
fire  occupies  the  centre.  On  each  side  is  the  kamigwom.  There  sit, 
on  the  one  side  of  the  fire,  the  master  and  mistress ;  and,  on  the  other, 
the  old  people,  when  there  are  old  people  in  the  family ;  and  the  young 
women,  when  there  are  young  women,  and  no  old  people.  The  wife 
has  her  place  next  the  door,  and  by  her  side  sits  her  lord.  You  will 
never  see  a  woman  setting  above  her  husband, — for  towards  the  back  &'- 
part  of  the  camp,  tffiJcuiaKvvivk,  is  up.  This  is  the  place  of  honour. 
To  this  place  visiters  and  strangers,  when  received  with  a  cordial  wel- 
come, are  invited  to  come.  "  Kutakumagual,  upchelase"  they  say  to 
him,  "  come  up  toward  the  back  part  of  the  wigwam." 

The  children  are  taught  to  respect  their  parents.  Many  a  white 
family  might  take  a  lesson  from  them  in  this  respect.  The  rod  is  applied 
unsparingly,  to  tame  their  rebellious  spirits,  and  teach  them  "  good 
manners."  They  do  not  speak  disrespectfully  of  their  parents.  The 
ordinary  word  for  being  drunk,  katheet,  a  child  will  not  use  when  stating 
that  his  father  or  mother  is  in  that  state ;  but  he  says  welopskeet,  a 
much  softer  term — though  it  is  not  easy  to  express  the  difference  in 
English.  They  do  not  pass  between  their  parents  and  the  fire,  unless 
there  are  old  people,  or  strangers,  on  the  opposite  side. 

The  inmates  of  the  "  camp"  have  their  appropriate  postures  as  well 
as  places.  The  men  sit  cross-legged,  like  the  Orientals.  The  women 
sit  with  their  feet  twisted  round  to  one  side,  one  under  the  other.  The 
younger  children  sit  with  their  feet  extended  in  front.  To  each  of 
these  postures  an  appropriate  word  is  applied.  The  first  is  chenumu- 
basi,  I  sit  down  man-fashion,  i.  e.,  cross-legged.  The  second  is,  mims- 
kulugunabase,  I  sit  down  with  my  legs  twisted  around.  The  third  is, 
sokwodabase,  I  sit  with  my  feet  extended. 

When  a  stranger,  even  a  neighbor,  comes  into  the  wigwam  of  ano- 
ther, if  it  be  in  the  day  time,  he  steps  in  and  salutes  them.  "  Kwa"  is 
the  usual  word  of  salutation,  resembling  both  in  sound  and  signification 
the  Greek  salutation  k/rirc !  hail !  Should  it  be  in  the  night  or  even- 
ing, this  is  uttered  while  standing  outside.  In  that  case  the  response 
is,  'Kwa  wenin  kcl.*    *  Who  art  thou.'    You  give  your  name.     And  if 


16  1UF.    MIC  MAC    I.NJMANS. 

tlicy  know  you,  and  are  glad  to  see  you,  you  are  invited  in  at  once. 
If  they  either  know  you  not,  or  care  not  for  you,  they  again  ask, 
" Kogwa  paicotumunV  "What  is  your  wish?"  You  must  then,  of 
course,  do  your  errand,  and  go  about  your  business.  When  you  enter, 
in  the  day  time,  you  will  not  "  go  and  sit  down  in  the  highest  room," 
or  the  "  most  honorable  seat," — that  is  to  say,  tf  you  are  a  well-bred 
Indian,  you  will  not;  but  you  will  make  a  pause  at  the  lowest  place, 
the  place  next  the  door.  The  master  of  the  camp  will  then  say  to  you, 
" upchelase"  "  come  up  higher."  It  was  this  striking  coincidence 
between  their  notions  of  politeness,  and  the  instructions  of  Our  Soviour 
in  Lake  xiv.  that  led  my  friend  Paul  to  utter  his  amusing  observations, 
respecting-  the  rudeness  of  his  white  neighbors,  "the  Scotchmen." 
As  soon  as  the  visiter  is  seated,  the  head-man  of  the  "  camp"  delibe- 
rately fills  his  pipe  ;  lights  it ;  draws  a  few  whiffs,  and  then  hands  it  to 
the  other.  If  there  be  several,  they  pass  it  round.  Conversation  goes 
forward.  All  the  new  and  strange  things,  are  enquired  after,  and 
related,  and  the  greatest  respect  is  mutually  shown.  When  the  busi- 
ness of  eating  is  going  forward,  all  who  are  in  the  wigwam  assist. 
To  withdraw  during  the  process  of  cooking,  would  be  rudeness.  It 
would  be  a  most  disreputable  thing  not  to  invite  a  stranger  to  partake ; 
it  Avould  be  a  grievous  offence  for  him  to  refuse.  There  are  usually  a 
crowd  of  neighbours  in  every  "  camp"  at  meal  time,  when  it  is  known 
that  there  is  food  there  ;  and  what  there  is,  is  divided  among  the  whole. 
It  may  require  a  visit  to  several  "  camps"  in  succession,  to  obtain  a 
full  meal.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  this  hospitality  is  more  the 
result  of  custom  than  any  extraordinary  generosity.  Measures  are 
sometimes  adopted  to  evade  it ;  and  they  do  not  hesitate  to  say  they 
are  tired  of  it,  when  it  has  been  exacted  beyond  due  bounds. 

The  women  are  still  accounted  as  inferiors.  They  maintain  a 
respectful  reserve  in  their  words  when  their  husbands  are  present. 
"  When  Indian  make  bargain,  squaw  never  speakum."  Thus  was  a 
merchant's  lady  once  cooly,  but  pointedly,  reproved,  by  an  indignant 
son  of  the  forest,  when  she  objected  to  her  husband's  giving  him  his 
full  price  for  his  feathers.  She  sometimes  heard  the  remark  afterwards 
from  a  quarter  nearer  home,  perhaps  to  her  profit.  The  Indian  woman 
never  walks  before  her  husband,  when  they  travel.  The  men  at  table, 
are  helped  first.  When  one  comes  into  your  house  for  a  cup  of  water, 
he  drinks  first  himself,  and  hands  it  next  to  the  other  man,  and  last  of 
all  to  the  woman.  When  she  is  passing  from  one  part  of  the  wigwam 
or  canoe  to  another,  however  crowded  it  may  be,  she  must  not  step 
over  a  man's  feet.  Such  a  "  step"  would  be  deemed  the  grossest  insult, 
and  would  probably  be  avenged  by  such  an  application  of  his  foot  as 
would  send  her  reeling,  and  teach  her  to  be  more  careful  in  future, 
nor  must  she  ever  step  across  his  fish  spear.  His  mechanical  imple- 
ments, of  whatever  kind,  and  whatever  work  he  may  be  making,  are  all 
as  important  in  this  respect  as  his  feet.  A  woman  must  never  step 
across  them.  "  Take  up  your  feet,"  she  will  6ay  to  him  when  she 
wishes  to  pass ;  or,  "  take  up  your  spear,"  or  "your  work,"  if  she  cannot 
well  get  round  them.     This  he  does,  and  she  goes  on. 

The  Indian  is  lazy,  and  improvident.  He  cunnot  understand  the 
necessity  of  laying  up  a  supply  for  the  future.     While  he  has  the  means 


THE    MIC  MAC    INDIANS.  17 

he  lives  like  a  prince ;  and  when  he  has  it  not  he.  does  without.  Ho 
ran  bear  hunger  and  cold,  and  neglect,  without  repining1.  But  he  had 
much  rather  he  well-fed,  and  warm,  and  kindly  treated.  I  have  not 
discovered  a  word  in  the  language  either  for  patience  or  impatience. 
A  Frenchman,  who  speaks  Micmac  well,  and  English  better,  assured 
mo  that  there  are  no  such  terms  in  the  language,  and  that  an  Indian 
never  "  gets  out  of  patience,''' and  is  never  anxious  about  the  future. 
lie  often  appears  stupid,  and  vacant,  when  it  arises  merely  from  his 
not  understanding  you.  Could  you  address  him  in  his  own  tongue, 
you  would  see  his  countenance  light  up,  and  find  tint  he  has  an  eye  that 
can  flash,  a  heart  that  can  beat,  and  a  soul  that  can  be  stirred.  He 
loves  excitement.  Hence  his  inveterate  fondness  for  tobacco,  tea,  and 
what  is  infinitely  worse,  strong  drinks.  An  exciting  employment 
rouses  him.  However  he  may  dislike  chopping  wood  and  hoeing  pota- 
toes, he  has  no  objection  to  the  chase.  He  makes  buckets  and  baskets, 
and  carries  them  to  town  on  his  own  back,  because  he  must  do  so  or 
starve.  But  let  a  shoal  of  porpoises  heave  in  sight,  and  then  see  him. 
All  other  business  is  suspended.  The  women  and  children  line  the 
bank.  The  men  gird  on  their  belts,  overhaul  their  guns,  get  ready 
their  ammunition,  launch  their  canoes,  and  awav,  away,  with  the  speed 
of  an  arrow,  towards  the  scene  of  attraction.  The  very  dogs  catch  the 
enthusiasm,  and  amidst  the  dm  of  women's  voices,  and  children's  shouts, 
they  yelp  and  howl  in  most  melodious  conceit.  And  what  if  they  kill 
nothing!  They  do  not  in  that  case  return  cursing  their  stars,  and 
uttering  imprecat;ons  against  the  fish  or  themselves  for  having  had 
their  run  for  nothing.  Not  they.  Canoe  after  canoe  returns.  The 
women  are  again  at  their  work  ;  the  children  at  their  play;  the  dogs 
lie  down  in  the  camp  and  snore ;  the  men  light  their  pipes  ;  and  you 
go  quietly  home.  Such  a  scene  I  lately  witnessed  at  the  Strait  of 
Canso  ;  and  I  would  not  for  a  trifle  have  missed  it. 

And  they  can  be  moved  on  other  occasions.  They  can  raise  their 
voices  in  anger.  They  can  describe  an  exciting  scene,  with  every 
muscle  in  motion,  and  with  gesticulation  so  perfect,  that  you  would 
scarcely  need  to  understand  their  language,  in  order  to  know  what  they 
are  telling.  And  the  Indian  mother  loves  her  babe,  nurses  it  as  care- 
fully, and  cherishes  it  as  fondly,  as  any  mother ;  and  weeps  as  bitterly 
when  it  dies.  And  so  does  the  father."  He  will  kiss  his  little  daugh- 
ter, and  sing  to  her,  as  she  presses  her  tiny  lips  to  his  "uktimchecju" 
•'your  dear  little  mouth,"  with  all  the  affection  imaginable.  And  his 
little  son  comes  bounding  to  meet  him  when  he  returns  home,  climbs 
over  his  head,  and  hangs  upon  him  ;  and  both  father  and  son  appear  to 
enjoy  it,  for  all  I  can  see,  as  much  as  those  of  any  other  nation  or  rank. 
And  I  have  been  affected  in  hearing  a  sick  Indian  refer  to  the  hard- 
ships his  poor  wife  had  to  suffer,  during  a  severe  winter,  while  he  was 
unable  to  do  anything  himself,  and  she  had  been  obliged  to  cut  the 
wood,  and  travel  through  the  deep  sp.oav,  until  she  was  "  sucl  nepk," 
"  almost  dead."  And  1  was  still  more  affected  when  his  aged,  widowed 
mother,  related  to  me,  after  his  death  how  f  "lingly  ho  had  referred,  in 
his  last  morneir  king  an  affect'"  ell  of  his  little  ones, 

.-.•;  them,  and  interesting  myself 
uhalf     Poor  fellow!     Mai 


18  THE    MICMAC    INDIANS. 

little  orphans  and  bless  them!  Here  may  be  mentioned  their  exer- 
cises of  devotion.  They  regularly  say  their  prayers ;  attend  mass ; 
go  to  confession,  and  cross  themselves.  Every  morning  and  evening, 
and  on  Sundays  and  Holidays,  they  assemble  in  their  Chapel,  when 
residing  in  its  neighborhood,  or  in  the  wigwams,  when  far  away  from 
the  Chapel,  and  perform  their  devotions.  One  person  is  appointed 
to  lead.  They  are  summoned  at  the  proper  hour,  by  an  individual 
shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  and  calling  them  to  come  to  prayers. 
The  greater  part  of  the  service  is  sung,  or  rather,  chanted.  They  have 
tenor,  bass,  and  treble  voices  ;  and,  save  and  except  a  most  disagreeable 
"  nasal  twang,"  their  singing  is  not  unmelodious.  They  sing  respon- 
sively,  each  part  chiming  in  at  the  proper  time.  They  shift  their 
position  several  times  during  the  performance,  which  lasts  for  nearly 
an  hour  ;  at  one  time,  sitting  on  their  heels  and  holding  up  their  heads ; 
at  another,  bending  forwards ;  and  they  conclude  with  an  act  of  pros- 
tration, bending  forward,  and  touching  their  foreheads  to  the  ground. 
Then,  if  in  the  Chapel,  they  "  bow  to  the  graven  images,"  or  pictures, 
and  slowly  retire.  And  they  also  repeat  their  private  devotions,  and 
cross  themselves  before  retiring  to  rest  at  night,  and  immediately  after 
rising  in  the  morning.  They  always  take  off  their  hats  and  cross  them- 
selves when  they  eat.  In  their  prayers  there  are  many  repetitions. 
They  address  the  Trinity ;  and  call  on  Jesus  (Sasus)  to  have  mercy 
upon  them  ;  they  invoke  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  Saints  ;  repeat  the 
Creed  and  portions  of  the  Commandments,  and  say  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
They  have  also  Psalms  and  Hymns,  and  parts  of  Scripture  history. 
"  And  could  you  tell  them  this,"  said  a  young  Indian,  who  was  assisting 
me  in  translating  portions  of  the  New  Testament,  "  I  think  they  would 
attend  to  it ;  for  as  far  as  they  know,  they  do."  And  my  young  friend 
proposed  it,  as  a  capital  plan,  that  I  should  translate  the  Gospel  into 
Micmac,  and  tell  them  that  the  Bishop  had  done  it,  so  that  they  would 
receive  it  without  hesitation.  '•  And  do  you  think,"  said  I  to  another, 
"  that  were  I  to  preach  in  your  language,  the  Indians  would  come  to 
hear  me."  "  Come  ?"  said  he,  "  to  be  sure  Ave  would  ;  we  would  come 
a  hundred  miles  to  hear  you." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE      MICMAC      LANGUAGE. 


The  language  of  the  Indians  is  very  remarkable.  One  would  think 
it  must  be  exceedingly  barren,  limited  in  inflection,  and  crude.  But  just 
the  reverse  is  the  fact.  It  is  copious,  flexible,  and  expressive.  Its 
declension  of  Nouns,  and  conjugation  of  Verbs,  are  as  regular  as  the 
Greek,  and  twenty  limes  as  copious.  The  full  conjugation  of  one 
Alicmac  Verb,  would  fill  quite  a  large  volume  !  In  its  construction  and 
idiom  it  differs  widely  from  the  English.  This  is  why  an  Indian  usually 
-peaks  such   wretched    Kua-li&li.     He  thinks  in  his  own  tongue,   and 


THE    MM  MAC     INDIANS!.  H) 

speaks  in  ours;  and  follows  the  natural  order  of  his  own  arrangement. 
lie  commits  such  blunders  as  the  following  :  M  Five  hundred  musquash 
killum  my  lather."  "  Long  time  ago,  when  first  Indians  maknni  God;" 
tor,  "  inv  Hither  killed  five  hundred  muskrats;"  and,  "  when  God  first 
made  the  Indians."  There  are  fewer  elementary  sounds  in  Micmac 
than  in  English.  They  have  no  r,  and  no  f  or  «\  Instead  of  r  they 
say  /,  in  such  foreign  words  as  they  adopt.  And  droll  enough  work 
they  sometimes  make  in  translating  hack  and  forth,  from  one  language 
to  the  other,  and  in  attempting  not  to  confound  r  and  /,  while  speaking 
English.  The  name  of  an  hour  is  in  Micmac  the  same  as  that  of  an 
vtel,  {kookaogmes)  because  when  they  first  attempted  to  say  it,  they  had 
to  say  ouL  and  then  they  could  think  of  the  name  of  that  nocturnal  bird  in 
their  own  tongue,  more  readily  than  they  could  recal  a  foreign  term. 
And  Mr.  Lord  is  called  Elsahkudaygun.  "  the  Ra/nrod,"  because  Peter 
Joe  drops  the  r  in  Lord,  and  changes  the  r  in  rod  into  /,  which  thus 
becomes  the  same  as  the  former — lod.  Taking  it  for  granted  that  it  is 
the  same  word  in  each  case,  we  translate  it  accordingly. 

There  is  no  Article  in  Micmac.  The  Verb  To  Be,  is  "  Irregular,"  and 
is  never  used  for  the  purpose  of  connecting  a  subject  with  its  predicate. 
They  have  a  dried  number,  like  the  Greek.  They  express  the  different 
Ptrsons  and  Numbers  by  the  termination  of  the  Verb,  and  like  the 
Greek,  have  a  great,  number  of  Tenses.  There  are  also  some  words  in 
ihe  Language,  which  resemble  Greek.  The  Micmac  word  Ellenu,  an 
Indian,  is  not  very  different  from  Ellen,  a  Greek.  Ellenu  esit,  he  speaks 
Micmac,  is  strikingly  like  the  Greek  Ellenesei,  he  will  speak  Greek. 
But  in  other  respects  the  language  resembles  the  Hebrew.  Especially 
in  the  "  suffixes"  by  which  the  Personal  Pronouns  are  connected  in  the 
Accusative  Case,  with  the  Verb.  There  are  words  evidently  derived 
from  the  English  and  French  ;  but  wcllae,  I  am  well,  appears  in  so  many 
compounds,  and  occurs  in  some  form  so  constantly  as  to  make  the  im- 
pression that  it  is  original  Micmac. 

The  following  are  the  Personal  Pronouns.  Neen, /;  Keel,  Thou; 
Neggum,  He  and  She;  Neenen,  We;  Keenu,  We;  Negumou,  They. 
The  Gender  is  not  distinguished  either  in  the  Singular  or  Plural  of 
the  Pronouns.  The  distinction  between  Neenen  and  Keenu,  is  this. 
The  former,  signifies  He  and  /.  the  latter  You  and  /.  This  distinction 
obtains  in  all  the  Indian  dialects,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn. 
And  it  extends  through  the  declension  of  Nouns,  Adjectives  and  Pro- 
nouns, and  the  Conjugation  of  Verbs. 

They  have  various  methods  of  marking  the  sex  of  animals.  Some- 
times by  different  words  as  checnum,  a  man  ;  abit,  a  woman.  Sometimes 
by  an  additional  word,  as  keegulleeguech  nabaoo,  a  cock  ;  keegulleeguech 
esquaoo,  a  hen.  The  word  Squaw  is  not  Micmac  ;  but  a  termination 
something  resembling  it,  is  added  to  epithets  denoting  rank,  station,  or 
employment,  to  distinguish  the  female  sex.  Thus  :  Eleegawit,  a  king  ; 
Eleegawesqu,  a  queen.  Sakumou,  a  chief;  sakumasqu,  a  chiefs  wife. 
But  as  neither  Adjectives,  Verbs,  nor  Pronouns,  are  varied  to  denote  the 
Gender  of  Animals,  there  is  no  necessity  for  the  distinction  of  Masculine 
and  Feminine,  for  any  Grammatical  purpose.  But  there  is  a  broad  dis- 
tinction between  things  which  have  life  and  those  which  are  inanimate. 
This  requires  the  distinction  of   the  Animate  and  Inanimate  Gender, 


>{>  THIi    HIUMAC    1NLIAN8. 

Tlie  plural  of  those  two  classes  of  words,  is  formed  in  a  very  different 
manner;  k  berngpthe  terminatieti  of  the  Amiiniit'.  and  /  of  the  w— winmte. 
Cheenum  a  man  ;  clwknunvwk,  men.  Soon,  a  cranberry;  soontf/,  can- 
Ixriifs.  The  Adjectives,  Pronouns,  and  Verbs,  arc  varied  lo  aoreo  in 
Gender.  *Kaloosi!  abit,  a  pretty  woman  ;  kahosit  chatum.  a  pretty 
man.  Hut  ka'utk  konudou,  a  pretty  stone.  Nemeek  cheenww,  I 
man.  Nemedii  koondou,  I  see  a  stone.  By  varying  ihe  termination  of 
Nouns,  they  distinguish  the  Nominative,  Genitive,  Dative,  Accusative 
and  Vocative  Cases.  This  makes  the  same  number  as  in  Greek,  lint 
they  are  in  advance  of  that  elegant  Language.  They  have  two  more 
terminations,  one  denoting  that  the  person,  or  thing,  spoken  of.  \%abunt\ 
and  the  other,  that  the  word  ends  the  sentence.  The  former  may  he 
called  "  the  Case  Absent  ice,"1  and  the  other,  "  the  Case  Terndnatim" 
It  is  proper  to  state  that  these  additional  endings  may  be  added  to  each 
of  the  real  Cases. 

The  Verb  is  emphatically  the  word  in  Micmac.  Whole  sentences, 
and  long  ones  too,  occur  constantly,  formed  wholly  of  Verbs.  All 
Adjectives  of  the  Animate  Gender,  are  real  Verbs,  and  are  conjugated 
through  Mood  and  Tense,  Person  and  Number.  There  being  no  such 
thing  as  the  Verb  \To  Be  used  as  a  copula,  the  copula  is  in  the  Adjec- 
tive itself.  I  know  not  how  to  dintinguish  the  two  ideas,  a  good  man. 
and,  the  man  is  good.  Even  the  Numerals  are  Verbs.  And  any  Noun 
can  assume  the  form  and  nature  of  a  Verb  without  any  difficulty. 

The  following  are  the  Numerals:  Na-ookt, One  ;  Tali-boo,  Two; 
Seest,  Three  ;  IVa-oo,  Four :  Nairn,  Five:  Ussoohtm,  Six;  Ellooiggvn- 
nuk,  Seven;  Oogumrnoolchin,  Eight;  Peskoonahduk,  Nine;  M'tiln, 
Ten. 

The  Indian  can  count  as  far  as  he  pleases.  The  prevalent  notion 
that  he  can  only  count  ten,  is  an  error.  It  is  true,  he  enumerates  by 
tens,  as  all  other  nations  do  ;  and  often,  like  the  rest  of  mankind,  uses 
his  fingers  in  counting  ;  and  he  happens  to  have,  as  others  have,  jnst 
that  number  of  these  convenient  appendages.  Naookt-inskak,  is  another 
word  for  ten.  Tahbooinskak,  twenty.  Nasehiskak,  thirty.  Naoo-inskak, 
forty,  &c. 

The  above  are  used  when  counting  objects,  whether  Animate  or  In- 
animate. But  when  expressing  a  number,  as  three  apples,  or,  three  men, 
the  Indian  uses  a  different  termination.  Thus:  nasiskuhcaijao-soonul, 
three  apples  ;  nasijik  chenumook,  three  men.  This  is  a  second  word  for 
three.  But  this  variety  applies  only  to  three,  and  ten.  Tahbooseyek 
there  are  two  of  us.  Tahbooscyok,  there  are  two  of  you.  Taboosijik, 
there  are  two  of  them.  Taboosijik  abijik,  two  women.  Taboo  gu  I  faun- 
oojul,  two  trees. 

An  Indian  once  boasted  to  me  of  the  variety  of  his  language,  and 
affirmed  that  he  had  at  least  two  words  for  every  idea.  "  Always, 
everything,  two  ways  me  speakum,"  said  he.  But  this  is  not  literally 
true ;  though  I  will  not  affirm  that  it  is  not  as  correct,  as  some  of  the 
"  General  Rules"  we  meet  with  in  other  Languages. 

*Compare  kaloosit,  with  the  the  Greek  kalos,  pretty. 

iThey  have  a  Verb  corresponding  to  the  Verb  To  Be,  but  it  always  denotes 
place.    Ayum,  I  am  here.    Aik  xclgxcomk,  he  is  there  in  the  wigwam. 


T1IK    MIL  MAC    INDIANS'.  SI 

A  specimen  otitic  (Jonjegatod  of  a  Wri  must  he  ?iven.  It  must  lie 
on  a  limited  scale.  I  promise  that  they  have  tin-  li  dic.itive.  Imperative, 
Subjunctive,  Potential,  and  Infinitive  Moods,  and  in  the  Indicative,  ihe 
tonus  of  i Item  Ihtses!  'They  have  the  Aotivi  ,  Passive,  :ind  Middle 
Alices;  and  by  a  siiglri  variation  of  ihe  termii  Mion,  they  add  to,  take 
tiom.  and  \arv  the  original  idea,  almost  endlessly. 

Id  order  that  the  inflections  may  be  distinguished  from  the  root,  1  have 
chosen  a  word  which  has  been  adopted  from  the  English.  It  is  the  verb 
to  tcittuss.  in  the  sense  of /c  give  testimony. 

INDICATIVE   MOOD. 

PRESENT     TENSE. 

Sing.   1.  *Witnes&-«we*  1  witness. 

2.  Witness-:; win.  Thou  wilnessest. 

3.  Witness-awit.  1  Ic  witnesses. 
Dual.    1.  Witnessaweyek.        He  and  I  witness. 

1.  Witnessaweekw.       Thoo  and  1  witness. 

2.  YVitiiessavveyok.        You  witness. 
.'J.  Witnessawijik.  They  witness. 

Plural  1.  Witnessawoolteyek. 

1 .  Witnessaweolteekw. 

2.  Witues^awoolteyok. 

3.  Witnessawooltijik. 

*  The  number  end  person  being  marked  by  l he  termination,  the  Pronouns  are 

seldom  used  with  the  verb,  except  for  emphasis— then  it  would  be  Nccn  icilncsa 

Uift',   &c. 

IMPERFECT    TENSE. 

Siiig-  1.  Witnessaweap.  I  witnessed. 

2,  Witnessaweep.  Thou  didst  witness. 

3.  Witnessawip.  lie  witnessed. 
Dual  1.  Witnessaweyegup.  He  and  I  witnessed. 

1.  Witnessaweegoup.  Thou  and  I  witnessed. 

2.  Witnessaweyegup.  You  witnessed. 

3.  Witnessawibunik.  They  witnessed. 
*3.  Witnessawibuneek.  They  witnessed. 

Plural  1.  Witnessawoolteyegup.  They  and  we  witnessed. 

1.  YVitnessawookeegoop.  You  and  we  witnessed. 

2.  Witnessawoolteyegup.  You  witnessed. 

3.  W'itiiessawooldilrunik.  They  witnessed. 
*  3.   Witncssawooldibuneek.  They  witnessed. 

*This  second  form  of  the  3rdpers.  dual  and  plural  is  used  if  you  are  speaking 
of  absent  persons.     If  they  are  present  you  use  die  first  form. 

FUTURE      TEX  SK. 

Sing.  1.  Witncssawedes.  T  will  witness. 

2.  Witnessaweduks.  Thou  wilt,  &c 

3.  Writnessawedou. 
Dual.  1.  Witnessawedesenen. 

1.  Witnessaweduksunoo. 

2.  Witncssawedoksup. 

3.  WTitnessawedak. 
Plural  1.  WTitnessawooltedesenen. 

1.  Witnessawoolteduksunoo. 

2.  Witnessawooltedoksup. 

3.  Wilnessawooltedak 


'i*i  1I1K    MIC.MAC    HfDlAVt. 

These  are  the  principal  Tenses.  They  use  on  Auxiliary  Veth  rot 
ilu;  vesi.  Tliis  is  a  pari  of  the  Verb  kesedu,  J  finish.  This  prefixed  la 
the  Present,  forms  the  Perfect;  thus:  Kese  ai/nessonr,  1  have  been 
witnessing.  Km  kese  wifuessawe,  1  have  witnessed  ;  that  is.  1  have  done 
witnessing.  Prefixed  to  the  Imperfect  it  forms  the  Pluperfect.  A<« 
witnessaweap,  I  had  been  witnessing.  Kes  keSe  icitnc*<avc/ip,  I  had  wit 
nessed  (i.  e.  I  had  finished  witnessing).  Prefixed  to  tin;  Future  it  forma 
the  Second  Future,  or  Future  Perfect.  Kese  witnesstMeedeg,  1  shall  have 
witnessed.  In  the  Imperfect  and  all  these  Tenses  which  are  formed 
from  it,  there  are  Interrogative  forms.  Wttnessaweas ?  Was  I  wit- 
nessing? Wknessaweesup I  Wast  thou  witnessing?  &c>,  Ale.  This 
makes  up  in  all,  the  forms  of  eleven  Tenses. 

A  curious  feature  of  the  language  is  the  double  negative,  and  this 
extends  to  Nouns  and  Adjectives,  as  well  as  to  Verbs.  It  doubles  the 
labor  of  learning  the  conjugation,  as  it  consists  in  placing  a  negative 
before  the  word,  and  then  changing  the  termination.  Thus  WUnmamm 
I  witness.  Moo  witnessaicc  I  do  not  witness.  Moo  witnessawikw  He 
does  not  witness. 

They  have  a  remarkable  facility  for  Compounding  words.  Here  again 
there  is  a  resemblance  to  the  Greek.  The  particular  mentioned  last 
before  this,  reminds  one  also  of  the  double  negative  sometimes  in  that 
language).  The  terrible  long  words  of  the  Indians,  are  compounds,  and 
while  they  lengthen  words,  they  shorten  speech,  and  render  it  more 
effective.  These  seem  to  be  common  to  all  the  Indian  dialects.  Cotton 
Mather  said  they  looked  as  though  they  had  been  growing  ever  since 
the  confusion  of  Babel  ;  a  remark  which,  perhaps,  contains  as  much 
philosophical  truth  as  it  does  wit.  The  following  specimen  occurs  in  their 
Prayerbook,  in  the  account  of  the  "  Last  Supper."  It  contains  fourteen 
syllables,  and  when  spelled  with  English  letters,  can  be  made,  without 
much  exaggeration,  to  occupy  forty  characters. 

Najdejemouweeoolowguoddullaolteedissuneega,  "  They  were  going  to 
v<Xt  supper  together.^  In  the  Prayerbook,  written  in  symbols,  one  small 
tharacter,  represents  this  formidable  word.  It  is  compounded  of  several 
by  taking  their  principal  parts,  and  dovetailing  them  into  one.  The 
j-oo/5  are  tied  together,  and  they  become  one  long  tree. 

Some  people  are  astonished  to  hear  us  speak  of  the  Grammar  of  the 
Micmacs.  They  did  not  suppose  these  people  had  any  such  thing,  or 
that  they  ever  trouble  themselves  about  "  Orthography,  Etymology  and 
Syntax."  Nor  do  they.  They  are  like  the  man,  who  beginning  to 
learn  late  in  life,  expressed  his  astonishment  on  ascertaining  that  he  had 
been  speaking  in  prose  all  his  life*,  without  knowing  it.  Grammar  is  the 
"  art  of  speaking  and  writing  a  language  correctly."  But  what  is  it  to 
speak  or  write  correctly ?  It  is  not  just  this,  "  to  speak  and  write  like 
those  who  understand  and  speak  the  Language  best?"  Were  the 
English  Language  spoken  no  where  but  in  Devonshire,  then  all  the 
the  rules  of  English  Grammar  would  have  to  be  constructed  in  accordance 
with  that  fact.  The  way  in  which  words  are  pronounced  in  that  place, 
would  be  the  correct  mode  of  pronunciation.  Their  manner  of  construct- 
ing sentences,  would  form  our  Rules  of  Syntax.  And  so  of  any  other 
language,  or  any  other  place.  Now  the  best  usage  of  Micmac,  is  the 
only  usage  which  prevails.     And  although  they  have  neither  Grammars 


lHi;    KIOMAC     INDIANS,  'IS 

nor  Lexicons,  in  use  among  them,  yet  tliev  liave  higher  authority,  ore 
on  which  these,  wherever  they  exist,  are  based,  the  Micmae  usus  hqut  ik'i, 
the  authority  of* the  best  vsage.  And  it  is  interesting  to  hear  them  ap- 
peal to  this  authority.  k%  They  dont  say  it  so,"  yon  \vill  be  told,  when 
von  mispronounce  a  word,  or  construct  ;i  sentence  improperly  ;  or,  "  wt 
■Hi,"  u  that  is  it :"  "  telekelusultijik"  "  that  is  the  way  they  speak"  when 
von  succeed  in  expressing  yourself  correctly.  You  will  not  catch  them 
confounding  the  Dual  with  the  Plural,  the  Animate  (lender  with  the 
Inanimate,  the  Present  Tense  with  the  Paul  or  Future  ;  nor  the  Positice 
form  of  words,  with  ihe  Negative.  Some  diversity  it  is  true,  exists  in 
the  Language  as  spoken  in  different  places.  It.  extends  merely  to  i|ie 
use  and  pronunciation  of  a  few  words.  The  Indians  of  Cape  Bieton, 
amuse  themselves  occasionally  at  the  expense  of  the  Nova  Scotiar.s  ;  and 
are  themselves  laughed  about  in  turn,  by  the  latter  party,  for  their  im- 
proper or  uncouth  utterances;  and  the  Indians  on  Prince  Edward  Island 
and  at  Miramichi,  are  as  susceptible  of  the  ludicrous,  as  their  brethren, 
and  as  conscious  of  their  own  superiority.  And  1  confess  it  requires 
some  nerve  to  endure  being  laughed  at  to  one's  face,  even  by  a  company 
of  Indians.  To  hear  them  catch  up  your  had  pronunciation,  or  awkward 
sentence,  and  repeat  it  from  one  to  another  amidst  roars  of  laughter, 
inclines  you  sometimes  to  read  them  a  lecture  on  "good  manners." 
But  you  may  as  well  make  the  best  of  it.  It  is  not  in  human  nature, 
learned  or  unlearned,  civilized  or  savage,  for  a  word  in  common  use  to 
be  pronounced  differently  from  what  one  has  always  been  accustomed  to 
hear  it,  without  its  attracting  notice,  and  provoking  a  smile.  I  now  ge- 
nerally get  out  of  the  difficulty  by  taking  advantage  of  a  lull  in  the 
storm  of  ridicule,  and  then  saying  to  them,  in  Micmae,  "  When  an  En-: 
glishman  speaks  Indian,  the  Indians  laugh  ;  and  when  an  Indian  speaks 
English,  the  Englishmen  laugh."  This  turns  the  tables  upon  them, 
puts  them  into  a  good  humor  with  themselves  and  with  me  ;  and  makes 
them  a  little  more  cautious. 

I  close  these  remarks  on  their  language  by  a  few  sentences  of  the  tale 
related  in  Chapter  II,  interlining  a  very  literal  translation,  in  order  to 
show  their  method  of  arranging  their  words.  As  they  have  no  Article, 
this  also  is  neglected  iu  the  translation,  except  where  it  is  implied  in  the 
Verb, 

Na        meskek      udun  bopkak.        Neduguledijik  chenumuk 

Now  great  Indian  settlement  down  a  river.     Go   a  hunting       men 
toguak   tuchu  mugu  ankuouwa  kelulk.         Petouwedajik.         Ababejit 
Autumn  then  now         fur  good.     They  go  up  the  river.     Ababejit 

ak      wedahala  nenkadijik  kudiiga  ;  nadal      etuldugulijik.  Ababejit 

and  his  comrade  stop  halfway  ;  there  they  go  a  hunting.  Ababejit 
u'tabtiemul  seguskwol ;  naselije        unejuntna,         Sikwa   tuchu    seboo 

his  wife      a  widow  ;  three  them  her  children.      Spring    then     river 

elodasijik      Ababejit   ak    wedabala      tan    kogua  nabadudich  nauk 
bring  down  to  Ababejit  and  his  comrade  what  things     they  kill         one 
tebuga,  eskurnatumedich  kakimetpegasin  sebooa. 
winter,    they  wait  for     its  breaking  up    river. 

Nothing  would  be  more  unfair  or  absurd  than  to  translate  good  Mic- 
mae into  bad  English,  were  we  professedly  acting  as  an  interpreter  or 
translator      But  the  above  is  given  for  the  purpose  already  specified, 


THE    MICMAC    INDIANS. 


English  rendered  literally  into  Micmac  would  he  as  unintelligible  and 
ridiculous  lo  them,  as  the  above  appears  to  us.  Some  knowledge  of  the 
idiom  of  their  language  is  essential  in  order  to  understand  them  when 
Speaking  English. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LITERATURE   OF   THE  MIC  MACS — THEIR  METHOD    OF     WHITING THEIK 

SYMBOLIC     PRAYER-BOOK — THE     SCIENCES — EXCELLENT     GUipES— 
THEIR  TRADITIONS. 

And  what  can  be  meant,  it  may  be  asked,  by  the  Literature  of  the 
Micmacs.  We  have  been  in  the  habit  of  looking  upon  them  as  misera- 
ble, ignorant,  stupid  looking-  beings.  We  have  been  aware  that  there 
have  never  been,  to  any  extent,  schools  established  among-  them,  and 
that  no  effort,  except  on  the  smallest  scale,  has  been  made  by  the 
whites,  to  teach  them.  We  have  treated  them  almost  as  though"  thev 
had  no  rights,  and  as  if  it  were  somewhat  doubtful  whether  they  even 
have  souls.  And  have  they  a  Literature  ?  By  what  effort  of  imagina- 
tion can  it  be  made  out?  And  truly  the  term  must  bo  taken  with  some 
restriction  in  its  meaning-.  They  possess,  hov,  ever,  some  knowledge 
of  the  Aits  and  Sciences.  They  have  a  book  which  they  read. 
of  them  can  write  both  English  and  Micmac  in  a  very  fair  hand. 
of  them  have  a  knowledge  of  arithmetic.  An  instance  lias  occurred  in 
Prince  Edward  Island,  of  an  Indian  who  prided  himself  on  being  able 
to  add  up  the  longest  and  most  complicated  sums,  as  rapidly  as  the 
most  expert  accomptant  They  are  in  the  constant  habit  of  con- 
ding  among  themselves  by  letter.  I  have  obtained  a  couple  of  letters, 
written  by  an  Indian  who  has  been  several  years  at  Quebec  ;  one 
addressed  to  his  father,  and  the  other  to  the  chief  in  Cape  Breton:  and 
the  hand-writing  would  be  no  discredit  to  any  body.  The  method  of 
writing  and  spelling  is  euJriotas.  The  letters  for  the  most  part  resemble 
the  English,  but  are  sounded  like  the  French  Their  book  is  i 
in  peculiar  characters:  They  have  nothing  in  Roman  print.  Most  of 
them  are  acquainted  with  the  contents  of  this  book;  but  few,  hoi 
can  read  it  correctly.  Copies  of  it  are  multiplied  indefinitely,  by 
cribing.  And  it  embraces  important  matter.  It  enters  into  some  of 
the  most  elevated  regions  of  knowledge  and  thought  1  cannol 
approve  of  it  as  a  whole.  It  states  things  which  are  false  in  fact,  and 
ruinous  in  tendency ;  but  it  also  states  much  that  is  truth,  and  truth  of 
the  most  momentous  import.  It  is  their  Prayer  Booh.  It  contains 
condensed  extracts  from  the  historical  portions  of  the  Bible:  a  Cate- 
chism of  Religion  ;  Psalms  and  Hymns,  and  Prayers.  The  contents 
are  early  instilled  into  their  memories.  The  children  are  taught  by  their 
parents,  and  many  a  Protestant  family  might  take  a   1  i  them 

in  this  respect. 

But  they  are  ateo  versed    in   other  subjects.    They  have   irtndicd 
Botany  from  Nature'^  Volume.    They  know  the 


THE    MIC  MAC    INDIANS.  25 

and  shrubs,  and  useful  plants,  and  roots,  in  their  country.  They  have 
studied  their  natures,  habits,  and  uses.  They  have  killed,  dissected, 
and  examined  all  the  animals  of  North  America,  from  the  msstugepc- 
£ajit  to  the  irulwakchech,  from  the  "  buffalo"  to  the  "  mouse.',  They 
have  in  like  manner  examined  the  birds  and  the  fish.  They  are  there- 
fore somewhat  acquainted  with  Natural  History. 

The  Indian  has  studied  Geography.  Not,  however,  that  of  Europe, 
Asia,  and  Africa.  But  he  knows  all  about  America.  And  most  espe- 
cially does  the  Micmac  know  about  Nova  Scotia  and  the  places  adja- 
cent. Shew  him  a  map  of  these  places,  and  explain  to  him  that  it  is 
"  a  picture  of  the  country,"  and  although  it  may  be  the  first  time  he  has 
ever  seen  a  map,  he  can  go  round  it,  and  point  out  the  different  places 
with  the  utmost  care.  lie  is  acquainted  with  every  spot.  He  is  in  the 
habit  of  making- rude  drawings  of  places  for  the  direction  of  others. 
One  party  can  thus  inform  another  at  what  spot  in  the  woods  they  are 
to  be  found.  At  the  place  where  they  turn  off  the  main  road,  a  piece 
of  bark  is  left,  with  the  contemplated  route  sketched  upon  it.  The 
party  following  examine  the  luskiui  as  they  term  it,  when  they  come 
up,  and  then  followr  on  without  any  difficulty. 

An  Indian  is  a  first  rate  hand  to  give  you  directions  respecting  your 
road.  He  marks  it  out  for  you  on  the  ground,  and  you  cannot  have  a 
better  guide,  especially  through  the  woods.  When  roads  were  fewer 
and  more  difficult  in  Nova  Scotia  than  they  are  now,  the  Indian's  aid 
was  frequently  called  into  requisition.  And  "here,"  said  the  tawny 
guide,  who  was  years  ago  directing  a  party  in  their  travel  from  Nictaux 
to  Liverpool  in  the  winter,  "  here  just  half- way."  When  the  road  was 
afterwards  measured  it  was  found  that  the  Indian  was  correct.  Arriv- 
ing at  another  spot,  he  informed  them  that  the  preceding  winter  he  had 
killed  a  moose  at  that  place.  Digging  down  through  the  deep  snow, 
he  immediately  showed  them  the  horns.  Their  services  should  always 
be  obtained  in  searching  for  persons  who  are  lost  in  the  woods.  Besides 
their  accurate  acquaintance  with  the  face  of  the  country,  they  are  able 
to  track  you  with  all  ease  over  the  leaves  in  summer.  They  can 
discern  the  traces  of  your  foot,  Avhere  you  can  see  nothing.  You  have 
bent  the  leaves  and  grass  under  your  feet,  and  the  impression  remains. 
And  your  upper  extremities  have  left  an  additional  track  behind  you, 
on  the  trees,  and  on  the  moss,  which,  brushed  along  as  you  passed,  was 
not  wholly  elastic  ;  it  remained  in  a  measure  as  you  left  it.  So  that 
whether  he  looks  up  or  looks  down,  he  sees  your  track,  and  can  follow 
you  at  full  speed.  Now  where  there  are  habits  of  such  close  obser- 
vation, there  must  be  mental  improvement. 

And  they  have  some  knowledge  of  Astronomy.  They  have  watched 
the  stars  during  their  night  excursions,  or  while  laying  wait  for  game. 
They  know  that  the  North  star  does  not  move,  and  they  call  it  "  okwo- 
tunuguwa  kuhkuwech"  "the  North  star."  They  have  observed  that 
the  circumpolar  stars  never  set.  The  call  the  Great  Bear,  "JWwm," 
the  bear.  And  they  have  names  for  several  other  constellations.  The 
morning  star  is  ufadabum,  and  the  seven  stars  ejulkuclt.  And  "  what 
do  you  call  that .'"  said  a  venerable  old  lady  a  short  time  ago,  who  with 
her  husband,  the  head  chief  of  Cape  Breton,  was  giving  me  a  lecture 
en  Astronomv,  on  nature's  celestial  globe,  through  the  apertures  of  the 

D 


26  THE    MICMAC    IXDIAXS. 

wigwam.  She  was  pointing  to  the  "  milky  way*'  "  Oli  we  call  it  the 
milky  way — the  milky  road,"  said  I.  To  my  surprise  she  gave  it  the 
same  name  in  Micmac. 

Besides  these  branches  of  knowledge,  they  have  among  them  histo- 
rical facts,  as  already  intimated,  and  facts  mingled  with  fable,  and 
fables  apparently  without  any  mixture  of  facts,  treasured  up  carefully 
in  their  memories,  and  handed  down  from  generation  to  generation. 
These  singular  tales  display  some  talent  in  their  composition,  and  many 
of  them,  all  things  considered,  are  exceedingly  interesting,  as  the  genu- 
ine compositions  of  a  primitive  race,  just  as  the  wildest  or  most  ridicu- 
lous tales  of  the  nursery  (some  of  which,  by-the-bye,  they  very  much 
resemble),  such  as  Sinbad  the  Sailor,  Beauty  and  the  Beast,  Jack  the 
Giant-killer,  or  Cinderrella  and  the  glass  slipper,  would  be,  could  we 
but  be  certified  that  they  were  the  genuine  compositions  of  the  ancient 
Britons,  in  the  days  preceding  the  Roman  conquest,  when  our  forefa- 
thers were  barbarians.  And  viewed  in  a  similar  light  why  should  not 
the  traditionary  romances  of  the  Micmacs  be  worthy  of  attention? 
They  are,  no  doubt,  genuine.  They  must  have  been  composed  by 
Indians,  and  many  of  them  by  Indians  of  a  former  generation.  Some 
of  them  are  composed  with  great  regularity.  One  event  occurs  out  of 
another,  and  the  story  goes  on  with  a  wildness  of  imagination  about 
magicians  and  giants,  and  transformations,  and  love,  and  war,  and 
murder,  that  might  almost  rival  the  metamorphasis  of  Ovid,  or  the  tales 
of  the  ancient  Scandinavians.  Children  exposed,  or  lost,  by  their 
parents,  are  miraculously  preserved.  They  grow  up  suddenly  to  man- 
hood, and  are  endowed  with  superhuman  powers.  They  become  the 
avengers  of  the  guilty,  and  the  protectors  of  the  good.  They  drive  up 
the  moose  and  the  " carriboo"  to  their  " camps"  and  slaughter  them  at 
their  leisure.  The  elements  are  under  their  controul.  They  can  raise 
the  wind  ;  conjure  up  storms  or  disperse  them ;  make  it  cold  or  hot, 
wet  or  dry,  as  Ihey  please.  They  can  multiply  the  smallest  amount  of 
food  indefinitely ;  evade  the  subtlety  and  rage  of  their  enemies ;  kill 
them  miraculously,  and  raise  their  slaughtered  friends  to  life.  Huge 
serpents  are  occasionally  introduced  "  as  big  as  mountains."  A  mons- 
trous bird  called  the  kulloo,  the  same  possibly  as  the  fabled  condor, 
often  makes  its  appearance.  With  a  dozen  slaughtered  fat  buffaloes 
on  its  back,  and  several  men,  it  goes  off  through  the  air  as  though  it 
bore  no  burden.  A  whole  quarter  of  beef  serves  it  for  a  mouthful.  It 
has  human  properties ;  can  speak ;  and  is  endowed  with  prophetic 
powers.  It  is  a  powerful  friend  or  terrible  enemy  to  the  Indians. 
When  the  former,  it  saves  them  from  all  sorts  of  troubles,  and  furnishes 
them  with  every  good.  When  the  latter,  their  condition  is  sad  indeed. 
In  a  tale  which  lies  before  me,  a  kulloo  is  described  as  having  depopu- 
lated a  whole  village ;  having  carried  the  inhabitants  all  off  alive,  to 
his  own  territory.  He  occupies  a  central  wigwam ;  his  prisoners  are 
all  around  him  in  a  circle.  One  whole  family  furnishes  him  with  a 
meal,  and  lie  takes  them  in  rotation,  each  family  knowing  when  their 
turn  will  come.  The  same  tale  relates  the  destruction  of  the  old  tyrant. 
A  child,  picked  up  in  the  woods  by  an  old  squffw,  has  been  reared  by 
her,  and  alter  a  long  series  of  marvellous  events,  he  arrives  just  as  his 
parents  arc  in  expectation  of  being  devoured  on  the  morrow.     But  he 


THE    MICMAC    INDIANS.  Q7 

proves  their  deliverer.  The  old  kulloo  falls  by  his  hand,  together  with 
all  the  brood,  except  the  younger  one,  who  by  great  persuasion  and 
rich  promises,  obtains  permission  to  live.  Henceforth  this  bird  attaches 
himself  to  the  young  hero,  and  faithfully  does  he  reward  him  for  sparing 
his  life.  Such  are  their  tales,  and  they  seem  to  have  scores  of  them. 
Five  of  them  from  the  mouth  of  an  Indian,  I  have  written  down,  each 
being  the  length  of  a  tolerable  sermon,  and  I  have  heard  many  more. 
I  prize  them  chiefly  as  furnishing  me  with  the  means  of  studying  the 
language. 

Now  all  these  facts  relate  to  the  question  of  the  intellectual  capacity 
of  the  Indians  ;  the  degree  of  knowledge  existing  among  them  ;  and  the 
possibility  of  elevating  them  in  the  scale  of  humanity.  If  such  be  their 
degree  of  mental  improvement,  with  all  their  disadvantages,  what  might 
they  not  become,  were  the  proper  opportunity  afforded  ?  Shame  on  us  ! 
We  have  seized  upon  the  lands  which  the  Creator  gave  to  them.  We 
have  deceived,  defrauded,  and  neglected  them.  We  have  taken  no 
pains  to  aid  them ;  or  our  efforts  have  been  feeble  and  ill-directed.  We 
have  practically  pronounced  them  incapable  of  improvement,  or  unwor- 
thy of  the  trouble ;  and  have  coolly  doomed  the  whole  race  to  destruc- 
tion. But  dare  we  treat  them  thus,  made  as  they  are  in  the  image  of 
God  like  ourselves  ?  Dare  we  neglect  them  any  longer  ?  Will  not 
the  bright  sun  and  the  blue  heavens  testify,  against  us  ?  and  will  not 
this  earth  which  we  have  wrested  away  from  them,  lift  up  its  voice  to 
accuse  us  ?  And  when  they  shall  have  passed  away,  and  their  very 
name  is  forgotten  by  our  children,  will  not  the  voice  of  our  brother's 
blood  cry  unto  God  from  the  ground  ?  and  in  the  Day  of  Judgment 
when  all  past  actions  will  be  brought  to  light,  and  the  despised  Indian 
will  stand  on  a  level  with  his  now  more  powerful  neighbour,  then  as 
poor  and  as  helpless  as  himself;  when  the  Searcher  of  Hearts  shall 
demand  of  us,  "  Where  is  thy  brother?"  how  shall  we  answer  this  ques- 
tion, if  we  make  not  now  one  last  effort  to  save  them  !  We  will  make 
such  an  effort.  We  are  doing  so,  and  God  is  with  us.  He  will  crown 
our  labours  with  success.  We  will  implore  foregiveness  for  the  past, 
and  wisdom  and  grace  for  the  future. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    RELIGIOUS    BELIEF    OF    THE    MICMACS. 

The  various  tribes  of  North  America  seemed  to  have  differed  but 
little  from  each  other  in  their  ideas  of  religion  when  they  became 
known  to  the  Europeans.  With  scarcely  an  exception  they  were  with- 
out images.  They  believed  in  a  Supreme  Power,  a  Great  Spirit,  the 
Author  of  Good ;  and  also  in  an  evil  spirit  the  author  of  evil.  The 
latter  is  said  to  have  been  their  principal  object  of  worship.  The 
Indians  of  Canada  call  the  Great  Spirit  Manitu,  or  Menedu — different 
tribes  probably  making  some  difference  in  the  pronunciation — and  they 
add  the  epithet  good  or  bad  to  indicate  which  one  they  mean.     The 


m  TH£    MICMAC    l.NDIA.XI. 

Micmacs  have  several  names  for  God.  They  call  him  AV/rfcam,  which 
intimates  that  "We  are  all  his  offspring."  JVixkamich  signifying  a 
grew  /father  or  progenitor.  Another  word,  so  used,  is  hesulk,  which  is 
a  form  of  the  verh  kesedu.  to  create;  and  literally  means,  He  makes  us. 
Our  Maker,  is,  of  course,  the  correct  translation.  They  also  call  him, 
Ukchesakumou,  which  signifies.  The  Great  Chief.  Mundu,  which  is 
evidently  the  same  as  the  Manitu  or  Mancdu  of  the  trihes  of  Canada, 
mentioned  above,  is  the  Micmac  word  for  devil. 

Every  where  the  Indians  believed  in  necromancy.  Boowoin  is  the 
Micmac  word  for  a  "  wizard."  The  present  generation  appears  to  be 
as  firmly  rooted  in  the  belief  of  supernatural  powers  exercised  by  men 
as  ever  their  fathers  were,  It  was  owing  to  this  belief  that  their 
powoivs,  "  medicine  men,"  or  priests,  were  formerly  able  to  exercise-  so 
much  influence  over  the  others.  These  men  were  every  where  the 
most  formidable  opposers  of  Christianity.  It  is  so  the  world  over.  The 
Indian  of  Nova  Scotia  now  believes  mundu  abogunumuqje,  "that  the 
devil  helped  those  fellows;"  but  he  lias  no  doubts  of  the  reality  of  their 
powers.  The  devil,  he  will  assure  you,  is  very  strong.  The  ancient 
boowoin  could — he  firmly  believes-— fly  through  the  air--- (even  without 
ia  broom  stick) — go  down  through  the  earth ;  remain  under  water  as 
long  as  he  chose ;  transform  himself  into  an  animal — and  do  ali  the 
other  feats  of  witchcraft  which  our  forefathers,  as  well  as  learned 
divines  of  Salem,  in  Massachusetts,  attributed  to  the  poor  old  women  of 
their  day. 

But  the  most  remarkable  personage  of  their  traditians  is  Glooscap. 
The  Indians  suppose  that  he  is  still  in  existence,  although  they  do  not 
know  exactly  where.  He  formerly  resided  in  Nova  Scotia  ;  but,  of 
course,  shifted  his  hahitation.  He  was,  to  say  the  least,  almost  an 
object  of  worship.  He  looked  and  lived  like  other  men  ;  he  ate,  drank, 
smoked,  slept,  and  danced  along  with  them.  But  he  never  died,  never 
was  sick,  never  grew  old.  He  lived  in  a  very  large  wigwam.  Cape 
Blomidon  still  bears  his  name,  Glooscap-week,  "Glooscap's  home." 
The  Basin  of  Minas  was  his  beaver  pond — for  he  had  every  thing  on  a 
large  scale.  The  dam  was  at  Cape  Split ;  and  we  are  indebted  to  this 
wondrous  personage — so  goes  the  tradition — for  the  privilege  of  send- 
ing our  ships  down  this  passage.  For  there  he  cut  open  the  "  beaver 
dam" — and  the  fact  is  established  by  the  name  which  it  still  bears. — 
The  Indians  call  it  Pleegun,  "  the  opening  made  in  a  beaver  dam." 
Spencer's  Island  was  his  kettle,  made  of  a  stone.  This  is  still  its 
name;  and  two  rocks,  somewhat  resembling  dogs,  seated  on  their 
branches,  near  iC  tooivome  "  his  kettle."  are  called  xC  teek  "  his  dogs." 
The  kettle  is  now  bottom  upwards,  and  the  dogs  Avere  transformed  into 
rocks  when  he  went  away.     His  canoe  was  also  of  stone. 

Glooscap  was  unmarried.  A  venerable  old  lady,  whom  he  called 
"grandmother,"  kept  "house"  for  him,  and  a  little  fellow  named 
Jlbistanauch,  or  "  Marten,"  was  his  servant.  He  could  do  any  thing 
and  every  thing.  The  moose  and  the  carriboo,  came  around  his  dwel- 
ling, as  tame  as  cattle;  and  the  other  beasts  were  equally  obsequious. 
The  elements  were  entirely  under  his  control.  He  could  bring  on  an 
intensity  of  cold  when  he  chose,  which  would  extinguish  all  the  fires  of 
his  enemies,  and  lay  them  stiffened  corpses  on  the  ground. 


TUK    MICMAC    I.XDIANS.  29 

Glooscap  frequently  figures  in  their  legehfe.  lie  seems  to  have  beeri, 
on  the  -whole,  a  noble-minded,  generous  sort  bf  personage.  You  do 
not  often  moot  frith  any  mischievous  exorcise  of  his  power.  Strangers 
■were  always  wfelcome  to  his  wigwam,  and  the  necessitous  never  failed 
to  share  in  bis  hospitality,  until  some  act  of  treachery  on  their  part,  or 
some  distrust  of  his  ability,  culled  for  castio-.it ion.  His  bounty,  how- 
ever, did  not  cost  him  much.  When  hungry  travellers  arrived,  there 
was  no  necessity  for  slaughtering  a  moose,  or  killing  the  "fatted  calf." 
The  old  lady  would  hang  on  the  kettle ;  "  Marten"  would  make  up  the 
fire,  and  pour  in  the  water,  She  would  then  pick  up  a  piece  of  an  old 
beaver  bone,  and  scrape  it  into  the  kottle.  As  the  boiling  commenced 
these  scrapings  would  thicken  up,  and  the  huge  kettle  would  be  soon 
full  of  fat  pieces  of  flesh.  If  the  necessity  of  the  case  required,  a  very 
small  piece  of  this  meat  would  satisfy  the  most  hungry  visiter — for  aa 
fast  as  he  cut  off  one  pioce,  it  would  immediately  appear  again. 

Glooscap,  they  say,  got  offended  at  the  encroachments  of  the  whites'; 
but  what  displeased  him  mcst  of  all,  and  drove  him  away,  was  their 
treachery.  By  the  direction  of  the  king,  an  attempt  was  made  to  take 
him  prisoner;  an  attempt,  as  it  proved,  quite  as  foolish  as  it  was  wicked. 
Little  "Marten"  was  decoyed  before  the  mouth  of  a  loaded  cannon. 
The  match  was  applied,  the  powder  blazed;  but  no  sooner  had  the 
smoke  cleared  away,  than  the  astonished  spectators  beheld  the  boy 
astride  on  the  gun,  composedly  smoking  his  pipe.  A  second  attempt 
was  made  ;  this  had  of  course,  it  was  pretended,  been  a  pure  accident. 
"  Marten"  was  induced  to  enter  the  cannon's  mouth — he  must  have 
been  small,  or  the  cannon  very  large.— The  gun  was  again  discharged. 
Nothing  was  to  be  seen  this  time  of  the  boy.  No  doubt  was  enter- 
tained of  his  annihilation.  One  of  the  by-standers  after  a  little  while 
peeps  into  the  gun,  and  behold  there  sits  the  little  gentleman,  as  easy 
as  possible,  quietly  puffing  away  at  his  pipe  as  though  nothing  had 
happened.  But  unavailing  as  were  these  attempts,  Glooscap  gave  vent 
to  his  anger,  and  in  his  rage  abandoned  the  country,  turned°over  his 
kettle,  as  he  went  off,  and  changed  his  dogs  into  rocks.  There  the 
faithful  sentinels  still  keep  watch,  and  when  he  returns  he  will  be  as 
able  to  restore  them  to  their  former  life  and  vigor  as  he  was  at  his 
departure,  to  fix  them  where  they  now  are. 

Now  what  sense  or  meaning  there  may  be  at  the  bottom  of  all  this 
nonsense,  I  leave  to  the  speculations  of  others.  Some  allusion  to  these 
fables  appeared  necessary,  in  order  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the 
cast  of  mind  and  prejudices  of  the  Indian. 

All  these  extraordinary  powers,  and  still  greater  than  these,  they  now 
believe  their  priests  to  possess.  "  The  priest,"  they  say,  "  is  next  to 
God."  They  do  not  doubt  his  ability  to  work  any  miracle.  One  of 
the  easiest  of  this  sort  of  things  for  him  to  do  is,  as  they  suppose,  to 
call  up  the  devil  from  the  pit  below,  and  set  him  at  his  appropriate 
work.  An  intelligent  Indian  lately  proposed  gravely  to  me,  to  go  with 
him  to  the  Bishop,  and  decide  the  question  by  an  appeal  to  his  miracu- 
lous powers,  whether  popery  or  protestantism  be  the  right  religion.  I 
had  read  in  the  Bible  to  him,  and  he  had  been  interested  in  its  contents. 
He  had  seemed  anxious  on  the  subject  of  his  soul's  salvation.  I  had 
explained  to  him  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  grace,  and  of  the  power 


30  THE    MICMAC    INDIANS. 

of  faith  and  love  to  God,  to  produce  good  works.  I  had  prayed  in  his 
wigwam  in  his  own  language,  and  pointed  out  to  hirn  what  1  conceived 
to  he  his  errors,  and  those  of  the  system  to  which  he  was  attached. 
He  had  told  all  this  to  his  family,  and  neighbors — for  what  one  hears 
all  hear.  Some  of  them,  I  learned  from  another  quarter,  had  intimated 
that  I  might  be  correct,  while  others  thought  it  advisable  for  him  as 
well  as  for  themselves,  to  be  on  their  guard.  He  admitted  the  since- 
rity of  my  intentions  in  studying  their  language,  translating  the  New 
Testament,  and  seeking  to  do  them  good ;  but  this  only  led  him  as 
earnestly  to  wish  my  conversion,  as  1  did  his.  "  Were  I  convinced 
that  the  Roman  Catholics  are  right,  would  I  join  them  ?"  asked  he.  I 
assured  him  that  I  would.  "  Well,  should  the  Bishop  work  a  miracle, 
would  that  convince  me  ?"  Undoubtedly  it  would,  if  I  were  sure  there 
was  no  deception,  but  a  genuine  miracle.  The  poor  fellow  was  well 
pleased  at  this  reply.  We  accordingly,  at  his  suggestion,  made  an 
agreement,  and  he  was  as  sincere  about  it,  to  all  appearance  as  possible. 
"  My  wife,"  said  he  to  me  in  Micmac  on  his  return  next  day,  "  is  pleased 
with  the  proposal,  and  so  are  my  comrades."  The  agreement  was  this. 
We  are  to  go,  with  a  suitable  number  of  witnesses,  to  the  Bishop — 
provided  his  lordship  will  agree  to  it — and  my  friend  is  previously  to 
sound  him.  The  Bishop  is  to  summon  the  devil  into  his  presence,  and 
ask  him  which  belongs  to  him,  the  catholic  or  the  protestant — my  Indian 
friend,  or  myself.  If  his  infernal  majesty  does  not  come,  at  the  Bishop's 
bidding,  this  settles  the  question  in  my  favor.  The  Indian  is  to  become 
a  convert  to  my  opinions  ;  and  his  family,  and  many  more  of  them,  he 
assures  me,  will  follow  his  example.  If  the  devil  comes,  and  lays  claim 
to  me,  and  I  cannot  master  him,  I  am  to  take  shelter  under  the  Bishop's 
wing,  become  a  faithful  son  of  the  only  true  church,  and  devote  myself, 
without  any  opposition,  to  the  welfare  of  the  poor  Indians. 

I  have  never  yet  met  with  an  Indian  who  supposed  he  had  himself 
seen  the  devil,  or  a  miracle  wrought.  But  I  have  been  assured  by 
some  that  their  grandparents,  or  some  other  old  people  whom  they  had 
seen  or  heird  of,  had  done  so.  It  is  commonly  reported  among  them 
that  the  first  priest  who  came  among  them,  learned  miraculously  to 
speak  their  language.  He  was  a  Frenchman.  By  means  of  an  inter- 
preter he  informed  the  Indians  what  his  object  was.  They  readily 
assisted  in  the  erection  of  a  chapel,  being  paid  for  their  labor.  They 
did  not  refuse  to  receive  baptism.  Not  that  they  understood  its  import 
— I  relate  the  story  substantially  as  stated  to  me — but  they  thought  it 
could  do  them  no  harm,  and  paboltijik,  "  it  was  capital  fun"  for  them. 
Having  finished  the  chapel  the  priest  shut  himself  up  alone,  and  spent 
the  time  in  prayer.  On  Sundays,  and  when  the  sick  or  dying  required 
his  attention,  he  came  out,  attended  to  these  duties,  and  then  immedi- 
ately shut  himself  up  again.  This  course  he  continued  all  winter,  until 
Easter.  He  then  gave  notice  that  if  the  people  would  assemble,  he 
would  preach  to  them.  They  did  so,  and  to  their  astonishment,  he 
spoke  Micmac  as  well,  and  as  fluently  as  any  of  them.  And  it  is  espe- 
cially related  of  him,  as  a  proof  his  purity  as  well  as  of  his  power,  that 
he  had  learned  no  bad  words.  And  it  further  happened  that  ignorance 
in  this  case  answered  all  the  valuable  ends  of  knowledge.  For  the 
only  reason  why  he  might  desire  a  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  "  bad 


THE    MICMAC    INDIANS.  31 

words,"  was,  that  lie  might  reprove  those  who  used  them  ;  and  knowing 
every  other  word,  tne  moment  he  heard  an  individual  use  a  word  which 
he  did  not  understand,  he  at  once  knew  that  it  was  a  "  bad  word,"  and 
could  take  the  offender  to  task  accordingly.  I  was  informed  by  the 
Indians  in  Cape  Breton  that  he  resided  chiefly  among  them  in  that 
Island  ;  that  he  made  their  Prayer-book,  taught  them  what  they  know 
of  letters,  and  that  he  died  at  Halifax.  A  venerable  old  man  related, 
with  much  animation,  how  bushes  bearing  beautiful  flowers,  sprang  up 
over  his  grave,  testifying,  as  I  took  it,  to  his  virtues  and  his  worth. 

His  miraculous  knowledge  of  their  tongue,  it  is  said,  deeply  impressed 
the  Indians,  and  led  them  to  attend  to  his  instructions,  with  seriousness 
and  faith.  Another  event  soon  occurred  which  urged  on  the  work  of 
conversion.  An  Indian  died,  or  was  supposed  to  be  dead.  After  a 
while  he  revived  again.  He  called  the  rest  around  him  and  related 
where  he  had  been,  and  what  he  had  seen.  He  had  visited  heaven, 
and  hell,  and  purgatory,  and  could  testify  to  the  existence  of  all  the 
three  places,  and  united  his  warning  voice  to  that  of  the  priest,  urging 
them  to  embrace  the  new  religion  without  delay.  This  brought  great 
numbers  over ;  and  the  story  is  still  gravely  told,  as  proof  not  to  be 
evaded,  when  questions  are  raised  respecting  the  existence  of  such  a 
place  as  purgatory. 

Other  miracles  are  related.  Three  officers,  somewhere  in  Canada, 
fell  upon  a  priest,  with  drawn  swords,  and  threatened  to  maltreat  him 
as  an  imposter,  unless  he  could  prove  himself  a  true  servant  of  the 
Lord,  by  working  a  miracle.  The  priest  took  out  one  of  the  consecra- 
ted wafers,  placed  it  on  a  plate  and  presented  it  before  the  officers,  one 
of  them  had  the  audacity  to  gash  it,  when  lo  !  the  blood  spouted  out, 
and  continued  flowing  until  it  had  filled  the  plate.  The  priest,  howe- 
ver, made  no  difficulty  of  swallowing  the  whole,  as  though  nothing  had 
happened  to  it  He  then  kneeled  down  and  prayed.  The  poor  officers, 
overcome  and  abashed,  stood  pale  and  trembling  with  fear.  Their  idle 
weapons  dropped  from  their  hands.  They  craved  the  foregiveness  and 
prayers  of  the  priest ;  and  fled  into  the  arms  of  the  church. 

Another  man  once  pretended  to  be  a  good  Catholic,  kneeled  at  the 
altar,  and  received  the  wafer  on  his  tongue  from  the  hand  of  the  priest. 
He  then  took  it  out  of  his  mouth,  and  slipped  it  into  his  pocket.  But 
the  priest  saw  him.  At  dinner  time,  in  his  own  house,  the  miserable 
man  drew  out  the  wafer,  passed  some  profane  jests  upon  it,  and,  in  spite 
of  the  remonstrances  of  the  horrified  company,  gashed  it  with  his  knife. 
The  same  fearful  result  followed,  as  in  the  former  case.  The  priest 
was  sent  for  in  haste.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  he  fell  on  his  knees.  As 
he  prayed,  the  flowing  of  the  blood  ceased.  The  inmates  of  the  house, 
at  his  admonition,  fled  out  of  it.  Fire  immediately  consumed  the  house, 
and  the  wretched  trifler  with  holy  things  along  with  it. 

One  more  recital,  and  I  spare  the  reader.  An  Indian  had  run  away 
with  another  man's  wife.  Remonstrance  had  been  lost  upon  him,  until 
sickness  and  the  near  approach  of  death,  terrified  him  into  submission, 
and  he  sought  to  be  reconciled  to  the  church.  The  priest  came  at  his 
request.  Absolution  could  only  be  given  on  one  condition  ;  he  must 
put  away  this  woman,  who  was  the  wile  of  another  man.  This  he 
promised.     The  priest  then  returned  to  his  house,  a  distance  of  seven 


S4  THE    MICMAC     I>I)IA>S. 

miles,  to  fetch  the  materials  for  the  performance  of  the  mystic  rites. 
As  he  reached  his  threshold  he  distinctly  heard  the  Indian,  seven  miles 
off,  promise  the  woman,  who  had  been  besieging  him  with  tears  and 
entreaties,  that  he  would  not  send  her  away.  The  priest  without 
having  entered  his  dwelling  immediately  retraced  his  steps,  and  charged 
the  relapsed  offender  with  the  deed.  He  denied  it,  but  denial  was  of 
no  avail.  The  other  Indians  were  summoned  to  witness  the  punish- 
ment about  to  be  inflicted.  The  guilty  man  was  delivered  over  to  Satan. 
Nor  Aras  this  a  mere  idle  ceremony.  At  the  direction  of  the  priest  the 
wigwam,  where  the  sick  man  lay,  was  partially  uncovered.  The  priest 
then  took  out  a  book  and  read.  The  object  of  this  reading  was  to 
bring  the  devil.  Hereupon  the  spirit  made  his  appearance,  rising 
slowly  out  of  the  ground,  and  keeping  his  eye  steadily  fixed  upon  the 
priest,  as  if  in  the  greatest  terror.  When  he  had  risen  as  far  as  his 
waist,  he  paused.  His  attention  was  then  directed  to  the  sick  man, 
and  he  was  quietly  informed  that  this  man  was  his  property.  The  priest 
then  raised  the  cross  over  him,  and  the  obsequious  devil  immediately 
retired.     Next  day  at  the  same  hour  the  man  died. 

Such  are  the  idle  tales,  the  "  old  wive's  fables,"  by  means  of  which 
the  chains  of  what  we  firmly  believe  to  be  a  galling  superstition  are 
riveted  upon  these  poor  creatures.  May  that  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
hasten  the  hour  of  their  deliverance;  and  bring  them  into  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God ! 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  Indians  have,  in  connection  with  their 
Prayer-book,  a  Catechism  of  Religion.  This  contains  some  good  things, 
as  the  existence  and  character  of  God  ;  the  Incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
God  ;  his  sufferings  in  behalf  of  mankind ;  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  : 
with  other  important  truths.  But  along  with  these  are  false  and  puerile 
statements.  A  translation  of  a  few  of  the  questions  and  answers  are 
here  given.  They  are  taken  from  the  beginning  of  the  book  in  order 
as  they  occur.  "  Ques.  How  is  it  known  when  any  one  prays  ?  Ans. 
It  is  known  by  his  crossing  himself  correctly.  Ques.  How  does  he 
cross  himself?  Ans.  First,  he  brings  his  right  hand  to  his  forehead, 
then  to  his  breast,  then  to  his  left  shoulder,  then  to  his  right  shoulder, 
and  at  the  same  time  he  repeats,  the  name  of  God  the  Father,  God  the 
Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ques.  For  what  purpose  do  you  cross 
yourself?  Ans.  It  reminds  me  of  our  Saviour  who  was  thus  crucified. 
Ques.  For  what  other  purpose  do  you  cross  yourself.  Am.  I  do  it  for 
the  purpose  of  preventing  the  devil  from  injuring  me  when  engaged  in 
any  matter,  for  the  devil  is  afraid  of  the  cross.  Ques.  For  what  else 
do  you  do  it.  Ans.  Should  any  one  be  about  doing  evil  to  me,  or  should 
anything  troublesome  befal  me,  crossing  myself  would  make  all  well." 
The  pointed  question  soon  follows,  "do  you  pray  aright?"  and  the 
child  is  directed  in  the  answer  to  reply,  that  "  God  enables  him  to  do 
so." 

I  have  not  often  found  an  Indian  who  appeared  to  have  any  correct 
ideas  respecting  the  plan  of  salvation.  I  have,  however,  seen  thorn 
affected  almost  to  tears  at  the  story  of  Christ's  sufferings  and  death  ; 
and  I  once  met  one  who  appeared  overjoyed  to  rind  a  Protestant  who 
knew  and  cared  any  thing  about  the  blessed  Redeemer.  "  I  really 
believe,"  said  he,  raising  his  hands  with  emotion,  "  that  we  think  alike 


Till:     MICMAC     INDIANS.  33 

after  nil;"  ami  he  seemed  to  think  that  it  was  of  little  consequence 
whether  1  crossed  mysplf  or  not,  provided  1  loved  Jesus  Christ  and 
prayed  to  him.  I  had  jtist  read  to  him  in  his  own  tongue,  the  three 
last  chapters  of  John's  Gospel.  On  one  occasion  poor  Jacob  Michel, 
'of  whom  I  have  spoken  in  a  previous  chapter,  heard  me  read  one  of  tho 
Penitential  Psalms.     He  assured  me  that  he  sometimes  felt  that  way 

is,  like  the  Psalmist — when  lie  thought  about  his  sins.  "When 
I  am  alone  in  the  woods,"'  said  he,  "I  think  of  my  sins,  and  pray,  and 
weep.1'  1  assured  him  I  was  glad  to  hear  that.  "  I  suppose,"  said  he, 
"you  thought  an  Indian  never  cries  about  his  sins."  "Well  Jacob,  do 
you  pray  to  God  to  forgive  your  sins?"  "  Oh  yes  I  pray,"  he  replied, 
"  I  pray  to  God,  and  I  pray  to  God's  mother."  He  listened  with  atten- 
tion while  t  endeavored  to  point  out  the  folly  of  praying-  to  a  woman, 
or  to  any  other  creature.  Poor  fellow!  It  is  not  for  me  to  say  Avhere 
his  departed  spirit  has  gone.  But  I  am  glad  that  I  read  the  story  of 
the  cross  to  him.  I  am  glad  I  was  enabled  to  visit  him  constantly 
during  his  last  illness  ;  that  I  could  kneel  by  his  side  in  his  wigwam 
and  ask  the  Saviour  to  bless  him,  in  a  language  which  the  poor  fellow 
could  understand.  The  last  thing  I  remember  to  have  heard  him  say 
was,  that  hs  loved  Jesus  and  was  not  afraid  to  die. 

In  general,  so  far  as  I  can  discover,  they  seem  to  be  trusting  to  their 
own  doings  and  the  doings  of  other  men,  for  salvation.  They  say 
their  prayers  regularly;  they  attend  mass;  go  to  confession,  and  when 
death  approaches,  the  priest  is  sent  for,  who  administers  the  rite  of 
extreme  unction,  and  after  death  their  gun  and  other  scanty  eifects  are 
sold,  and  the  proceeds  given  to  the  priest,  in  order  that  masses  may  be 
said  for  their  deliverance  from  purgatory  ;  and  then,  they  doubt  not,  all 
will  be  well. 

The  ideas  of  religion  entertained  by  the  Micmacs,  as  sometimes 
elicited,  are  calculated  to  provoke  a  smile,  were  not  the  subject  so  seri- 
ous, "  It*  my  good  deeds  only  balance  my  bad  dnes,"  said  to  me  on 
one  occasion  an  iatelligent  fellow,  who  appeared  really  in  earnest 
about  his  soul's  saivatiotr,  "'then  all  will  be  Well*,"  and  to  assist  in  con- 
vey in  Lr  his  m  ■  balanced  h  piece  of  wood,  and  bod  his  tinger 
on  either  end,  where  the  good  deeds  and  the  bad  ones,  wore  re'preseifc 
ted  as  respectively  lying.  "And  sopp  he,  ''this  end  comes 
nearly  up,  why.  God  is  merciful,  and  will  help  me."     Alas!  how  m;my 

re  who  boast  of  their  knowledge,  and  of  their  protestantism; 
whose  expectations  of  salvation  are  based  oii  the  same  sandy  founda- 
tion. But  the  poor  Indian  illustrated  his  idea  further.  "Suppose," said 
he,  "you  swear  twice  a  day,  and  pray  three  times,  why  then  keep  up  a 
good  heart."  In  this  case  it  was  evident  to  him  that  the  balance  would 
be  in  my  favor.  When  I  explained  to  the  Bame  man  that  we  are  par- 
doned, not  been; ;se  of  our  good  deeds,  but  through  the  atonement  of 
Jesus  Christ— that  he  pays  all  our  debts,  and  expiates  all  our  .sins,  and 
forgives  us  without  any  merits  of  our  ou  n  ;  and  that  then,  being  freely 
forgiven,  we  "love  much,"  and  serte  the  Lord  more  earnestly,  a  good 
deal,  than  we  wonld  do  if  *  I  to  balance  our  sins  by  doings; 

'ked  at  mi       "  ;   hoi   soon  forget. — 

There  was  something  Wch  seemed  to  say,  "  O  that 

is  just  what  I  just  adapted  to 


34  TIIK    AUCMAC    INDIANS. 

my  case,  if  I  only  dare  to  believe  it."  It  was  evidently  a  new  idea  to 
him.  lie  told  me  afterwards  that  he  could  not  get  it  out  of  his  thoughts  ; 
but  the  antagonist  principles  in  which  he  had  been  trained — could  they 
be  false  ?  May  the  Spirit  of  God  conduct  him  into  the  way  of  truth, 
and  holiness,  "and  heaven ! 

At  another  time  I  got  a  lecture  on  practical  theology,  which  greatly 
interested  me.  It  was  on  "  charity,"  and  designed  to  have  an  imme- 
diate practical  effect  upon  my  pocket.  As  the  family  were  tolerably 
comfortable,  and  neither  of  the  worthy  old  people,  who  were  making 
their  appeals,  were  either  sick  or  in  want,  it  required  some  cogent  argu- 
ments to  convince  me  of  the  propriety  of  giving  them  money.  "  Llla 
outee,"  said  the  old  lady,  very  spiritedly,  "  this  is  the  road,"  and  she 
laid  down  a  long  stick  to  represent  it  "  Allah  vasoak ,"  "  there  is  hea- 
ven," placing  her  finger  at  the  end  of  the  stick.  "  Ullah  keela,"  "this 
is  you,"  and  she  took  up  a  piece  of  chip  and  made  it  represent  a  man 
walking  along  the  road.  And  she  went  on  to  show  me  how  I,  as  a 
Minister,  should  walk  ahead  of  my  flock — I  must  do  every  thing  which 
they  were  expected  to  do.  "  Pee-ail  kakumet  kakunega,"  "  Peter 
stands  at  the  door"  of  heaven.  And  I  was  further  informed  of  the 
cross-examination  I  would  have  to  undergo  at  the  gate  of  heaven  before 
Pee-ail  would  think  of  unlocking  it :  and,  be  assured,  one  of  the  most 
searching  enquiries  would  be  respecting  my  benevolence.  I  would  rind 
it  difficult  to  enter,  depend  on  it,  if  I  had  not  been  ready  to  assist  the 
poor  Indians.  I  heard  the  old  lady  through  ;  and  then  took  occasion 
to  dispute  some  of  the  sentiments  advanced.  "  Peter  does  not  hold  the 
key  of  heaven,"  I  said,  and  went  on  to  explain  that  it  is  Christ  who 
admits  us  into  heaven.  They  heard  me  with  respectful  silence,  and 
then  the  venerable  old  man  looked  at  me,  very  gravely,  and  enquired, 
"  Don't  you  know  that  Peter  holds  the  key,  and  opens  the  door  of  hea- 
ven?" "Indeed  I  dont,"  I  replied.  "Well,"  he,  said,  in  measured 
accents,  "if  you  don't  know  lhat}  you  don't  know  much." 

Let  no  one'  mistake  the  design  of  those  statements,  they  are  neither 
intended  to  expose  these  poor  creatures  to  ridicule,  nor  to  cast  odium 
on  their  religious  guides,  No !  heaven  forbid !  I,  for  one,  rejoice  to 
know  that  they  are  in  possession  of  as  much  information  in  the  momen- 
tous concerns  of  salvation,  as  they  do  possess ;  and  the  thought  that 
the  only  men  who  have  cared  at  all  for  their  souls,  and  told  them  any 
thing  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  heaven  and  hell,  are  the  Romanists,  would 
I  trust  remove  all  bitterness  of  feeling  towards  that  sect,  if  there  were 
any  in  my  bosom.  But  why  should  there  be  bitterness  here  ?  or  in  any 
of  our  bosoms,  towards  the  Roman  Catholics  ?  Are  we  by  nature  bet- 
ter than  they  ?  "  No  in  no  wise."  Is  it  owing  to  our  superior  good- 
ness that  wo  have  the  light  placed  on  the  candlestick — the  word  of 
God  blazing  around  us,  while  with  them  it  is  put  under  a  bushel? 
Certainly  not.  '  Then  where  is  boasting'  "  It  is  excluded."  We 
owe  it  to  the  super-abounding  goodness  of  God,  that  we  are  not  gro- 
velling in  all  the  darkness,  superstition,  and  bigotry,  of  Romanism. 
This  does  not  render  their  errors  innocent ;  but  it  ought  to  make  us 
humble.  It  should  disarm  us  of  all  unkindness  ;  it  should  wrest  the 
sword  of  persecution,  in  any  form,  out  of  our  hands.  But  it  should 
not  make  us  idle,  it  should  not  prevent  us  from  wielding  "the  sword 
of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  ff'ord  of  God" 


mi    MIC  MAC    INDIANS.  S,") 

We  should  labor  to  convert  tin1    Catholics;  but  in    doing-   this,  our 
danger,  as  Protestants,  from  Catholic  ascendancy,  should  be  a  matter 
ill  moment  in  comparison  with  tAeir  danger.     Thus  Paul  felt,  res- 
pecting the  unbelieving  Jews.     Thus  the  Redeemer  felt  towards    all 
;  and  thus  should  we  feel  towards  the  poor  Indians. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    PROTESTANT   MISSION    TO   THE   MICMACS ORIGIN   OP   THE   MISSION — 

PROVIDENTIAL      AIDS THE        OBJECTS      AIMED       AT — ENCOURAGING 

PROSPECTS. 

There  is  at  length  a  mission  commenced  for  the  purpose  of  evange- 
lizing the  Micmacs.  Its  object  is  to  give  them  the  pure  Word  of  God, 
in  their  own  tongue,  to  instruct  them  in  the  great  truths  of  Bible  Reli- 
gion, to  lead  them  into  the  paths  of  experimental  and  practical  piety 
and,,  in  every  way,  to  seek  their  good.  It  has  enlisted  the  sympathies 
and  support  of  all  denominations  of  evangelical  Christians.  The  plan 
adopted  in  the  prosecution  of  this  mission  hitherto,  was  suggested  by 
the  course  pursued  with  so  much  success  in  France,  in  Germany,  in 
Ireland,  in  Canada,  and  in  various  other  countries;  in  order  to  enligh- 
ten the  Romanists,  end  to  bring  them  to  a  saving  acquaintance  with 
the  Truth  ns  it  is  in  Jesus.  It  is  that  of  going  among  the  people,  in 
the  spirit  of  kindness;  speaking  to  them  in  their  own  tongue;  reading 
the  Scriptures  in  their  houses  ;  conversing  tenderly  with  them  respect- 
ing their  soul's  salvation;  distributing  copies  of  the  Bible  and  other 
good  books,  as  opportunity  offers,  and  aiming  in  every  way  to  remove 
their  prejudices  ana  lead  them  to  the  feet  of  Christ.  The  thought  W83 
ited,  'Why  may  not  the  poor  Micmac  Indians  be  reached  in  the 
same  way  T  Who  knows  but  they  would  listen  to  the  wondrous  story 
of  redeeming  love,  if  addressed  to  them  in  terms  of  christian  affection, 
and  in  their  own  tongue  V  It  was  surely  worth  while  to  try,  the  chief 
difficulty  in  the  way  was  their  language.  How  could  this  be  acquired  ? 
It  had  always  been  represented  as  very  formidable.  We  knew  of  no 
books  in  MicmaC  We  knew  of  no  one  who  possessed  either  the  abili- 
ty or  the  will  to  give  assistance  :  and  we  had  forgotten  that  hard  as  the 
language  might  he,  a  little  child  can  learn  it,  without  books,  and  un- 
der every  other  disadvai  '.;:d  from  what,  source  could  pecuniary' 
assistance  be  -■:  ?cted  ?  People  would  hardly  believe  that  any  one 
was  in  sober  earnest  about  undertaking  such  a  task  as  that  contem- 
plated ;  and  if  he  really  were  in  earnest,  they  would  be  much  more 
likely  to  think  of  a  strait  jacket,  or  a  Lunatic  asylum,  than  they 
would  to  think  of  giving  money  to  such  an  object.  And  even  were 
the  public  to  be  convinced  of  its  necessity,  and  practicability,  the 
churches  of  all  d<  nominations,  were  pressed  out  of  measure  alrea- 
dy, to  sustain  their  various  religious  and  benevolent  objects. 

But  how  easy  it  is  to  start  objections.  Shame  on  our  unbelief! 
■name  on  our  slothfuiness !  He  who  says  to  us  "go  forward,"  can 
supply  all  the  necessaries.  He  can  rain  down  bread  from  heaven  (if 
need  be);  bring  water  out  of  the  rock  ;    rr  open  up  a  passage  through  the 


36  rui:  micmac  INDIANS. 

very  midst  of  the  pen.  Difficulties  vanish  us  we  approach  them,  we 
lind  a  highway  around  the  hill,  and  a  bridge  over  the  stream,  and  some 
way  of  surrounding  all  difficulties. 

Without  any  reference  to  this  object,  so  far  as  either  I  or  my  bre- 
thren were  aware,  I  was  appointed  on  a  mission  to  <  Charlottetown. 
thither  I  repaired  in  the  summer  of  1846.  On  my  way  I  took  my  first 
lesson  in  Micmac.  It  was  about  twenty  words,  written  down  with 
gTeat  difficulty  from  the  mouth  of  an  old  Indian  in  Windsor.  In  ('har- 
lottetown I  found,  where  probably  I  only  could  have  found  it,  in  a 
preserved  file  of  the  Royal  Gazette,  the  outlines  of  a  .Micmac  Grain- 
mar.  It  was  published  souse  years  ago  by  a  Mr.  Irvin,  who  died  short- 
ly after  my  arrival  in  Prince  Edward  Island.  Meagre  as  this  Gram- 
mar  was,  it  was  of  incalculable  service,  I  cannot  help  thinking  now, 
when  I  recal  to  mind  how  eagerly  I  transcribed  it,  lest  the  precious 
boon  might  slip  out  of  my  hands. 

I  soon  found  a  greater  prize  than  this.  It  was  a  man  who  had  been 
thirty  years  among  the  Indians,  who  spoke  their  tongue  well,  and  un- 
derstood it  better  than  he  spoke  it;  and  who  spoke  English  as  correct- 
ly as  tho'  he  had  never  been  among  the  Indians.  This  was  not  all. — 
He  had  no  prejudices  against  my  Protestantism  :  he  was  in  possession 
of  a  Bible — the  gift  of  a  Presbyterian  minister, — and  was  quite  well 
acquainted  with  its  contents.  He  was  also  both  able  and  willing  to 
render  me  all  the  assistance  I  could  possibly  expect  in  the  casff. 

One  thing  more  wTas  needful.  I  could  not  pay  my  teacher  nor  meet 
other  incidental  expenses,  without  money ;  this  was  supplied  from  a 
quarter  I  had  little  dreamed  of.  Several  officers  of  Her  Majesty's  Na- 
vy, were  engaged  in  surveying  and  making  charts  of  the  coast  ;  and 
were  now  residing  at  Charlottetown.  From  the  business  in  which  they 
had  been  for  years  engaged,  they  had  often  been  brought  in  contact 
with  the  Indians,  they  had  pitied  their  condition,  and  being  themselves 
men  whose  hearts  the  Lord  had  touched  by  his  grace,  they  had  long 
desired  to  see  some  plan  in  operation  for  their  spiritual  good.  I  knew 
nothing  of  them  until  I  came  to  Charlottetown.  They  were  Episcopa- 
lians, and  without  any  undue  imputation  of  sectarian  prejudice,  on 
either  side,  it  would  not  appear  venj  probable  lhat  they  would  take  any 
great  interest  in  a  Baptist  minister.'  But  no  sooner  was  the  whisper 
conveyed  to  their  ears — I  hardly  knew  how — that  I  was  giving  some 
of  my  time  and  attention  to  the'poor  Indians,  then  they  sought  me  out, 
encouraged  me  greatly  by  the  interest  they  manifested  in  the  object, 
and  without  interfering  at  all  with  my  plans,  save  to  forward  them  by 
every  means  in  their  power,  they  gave  me  all  the  money  1  needed  for 
the  object. 

And  1  must  here  record  another  Providential  event.  I  have  spoken 
of  the  traditionary  tales  of  the  Indians.  The  first  time  that  it  seemed 
to  me  a  reality  that  1  should  ever  make  sufficient  progress  in  acquiring 
their  tongue,  "to  answer  any  valuable  end,  was  when  I  had  succeeded 
in  writing  down  one  of  these  tales,  There  are  but  few  who  can  rehearse 
them,  my  teacher,  already  referred  to,  could  not ;  but  there  was,  he 
informed  me,  somewhere  in  Nova  Scotia,  a  relative  of  his  wife,  who 
could.  Unexpectedly  I  met  this  woman  in  the  summer  of  1847  at  his 
?'  camp,"  she  told  one  of  the  tales,  and  he  interpreted  it.     I    was  two 


THK    HICMAC     INDIANS.  .1/ 

in  reducing  it  to  paper;  but  wluen  done  it  afforded  me  the 
means  of  studying  the  language  at  my  leisure,  and  my  success  in  writ- 
ing it  down,  had  removed  all  my  fears  le.st  the  language  might  prove 
too  difficult  to  be  learned. 

Here  then  were  a  series  of  events,  concurring  to  urge  the  matter 
forward  Certainly  they  were  not  the  result  of  any  schemes  formed 
by  the  individuals  v  ho  had  embarked  in  the  work.  Would  it  be  rig-lit 
to  overtook  the  hand  of  of  Divine  Providence  in  this  chain  of  oircum- 
staneefl  ?  Surely,  whatever  be  the  result,  very  little  credit  on  the  one 
hand,  and  very  little  blame  on  the  other,  for  what  has  been  done  ought 
to  be  attributed  to  those  who  have  interested  themselves.  But  we  de- 
verve  blame  for  what  we  have  not  done,  the  Lord  graciously  forgive 
us.  May  we  all  be  more  diligent  for  the  future,  more  humble,  and 
more  believing. 

But  little  has  as  yet  been  done.  It  has  been  felt,  on  all  hands,  that 
the  most  important  matter  for  the  present  is  to  lay  a  good  foundation. — 
The  work,  all  will  see.  ought  to  be  so  carried  forward,  that  were  the 
present  Missionary  called  away,  or  laid  aside,  others  abler  and  better 
could  take  it  up,  without  being  compelled  to  go  over  the  whole  ground 
anew.  To  reduce  the  language  to  writing;  to  collect  words  into  some- 
thing that  might  he  called  a  dictionary  ;  to  reduce  it  to  grammatical 
rules:  lay  at  the  basis  of  all.  Then  to  translate  portions  of  the  Bible, 
and  to  compose  a  few  prayers  in  Micmac,  that  the  visitor  to  their  wio- 
wams  might  have  something  which  would  attract  their  attention,  and 
do  them  good,  while  he  could  be  at  the  same  time  making  himself 
more  familiar  with  their  language  ;  was  of  primary  moment.  To  teach 
some  of  them  to  read  and  write,  ought  not  to  be  overlooked;  and  to 
net  before  them  the  great  truths  of  Christianity,  and  to  urge  them  to  an 
immediate  compliance  with  the  demands  of  these  truths,  would  be  the 
•-reat  end  itself,  for  which  all  the  other  means  were  to  be  sought. 

To  all  these  points,  attention  has  been  given.  With  what  imper- 
fections of  every  kind,  he  knows  who  knows  all  things.  But  those 
christian  ministers  and  friends,  who  have  so  kindly  taken  up  the  sub- 
ject, ought  to  know,  and  therefore  I  must  tell  them,  that  during  the  last 
three  years,  this  matter  whether  I  would  or  not,  has  absorbed  the 
greater  portion  of  my  time  and  thoughts.  And  I  never  felt  a  greater 
interest  in  it  than  I  do  at  this  moment.  My  feelings  almost  overcome 
me  when  I  think  of  those  precious  seasons  of  evangelical  union,  which 
we  lately  enjoyed  in  Halifax.  I  did  not  dare  to  hope  for  so  much.  When 
I  penned  the  irst  advertisement,  announcing  a  meeting  in  the  Gran- 
ville Street  Chapel  on  behalf  of  the  Micmac  Indians,  I  first  wrote  down 
that  I  was  desirous  of  devoting  myself  wholly  to  this  blessed  work.  I 
then  drew  my  pen  through  the  sentence,  as  too  much  to  ask,  either  of 
God  or  man.  O  when  shall  I  fully  believe  that  a  "God  of  all  grace." 
can  do  for  us  "above  what  we  can  ask  or  think."  But  I  forget  myself, 
not  declamation,  but  facts  are  here  called  for. 

The  different  objects,  above  referred  to,  have  all  been  carried  for- 
ward, so  far  as  possible,  not  separately,  but  conjointly.  For  one  whole 
year  we  kept  two  little  Indian  boys  at  School  in  Charlettetown.  The 
oldest  who  had  tolerably  good  English,  made  considerable  progress.  T 
succeeded  in  teaching  an  older  boy  to  read  a  little  and  to  write  and 


;j3 


Tilt.     Ml  CM  AC     I.NMA.1*. 


■cipher,  while  ha  wtm  at  the  same  time  instructing  me.  I  never  knew 
a  scholar  to  nmke  each  rapid  progress.     The  family  then  removed  to 

Nova  Scotia,  or  we  would  have  continued  our  efforts  on  the;r  behalf. 
I  have  succeeded  in  collecting  a  large  number  of  words,  and  gramma- 
tical forma  in  the  Micmac.  Different  portions,  both  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  New.  have  been  translated,  among  which  is  the  whole  Gospel 
of  Luke.  These,  translations  will,  I  need  not.  say,  need  much  revision 
before  they  will  be  sufficiently  correct  to  print.  *  But  in  the  meantime 
they  exhibit  the  doctrines  of  the  Great  Teacher,  and  afford  the  rneana 
of  carrying  on  the  other  departments  of'the  Mission  more  efficiently. 

And  now  it  may  be  asked,  what  prospect  is  there  of  success.  I  reply 
in  a  few  words.  Were  there  none,  would  it  change  the  meaning-  of 
the  "  Great  Commission  ?"  "  Go  teach  all  nations  ;"  or  alter  the  sense 
of  the  promise,  "  lo  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world  !"     Would  our  obligations  be  lessened  ?     Surely  not. 

Again  what  is  meant  by  "  a  prospect  of  success  ?,?  When  we  speak 
of  encouraging  prospects  of  missions  among  the  Jews,  the  Mahomme- 
dans,  or  Heathen,  are  we  supposed  to  mean  that  these  people  have  been 
petitioning  for  Christian  Missionaries  ?  that  they  are  waiting  to  receive 
their  instructions ;  that  their  own  superstitions  have  but  a  slight  hold 
upon  their  minds ;  and  that  there  are  no  hindrances  in  the  way  of  the 
Missionary  ?  Seldom  indeed  do  we  look  for  such  encouragements  as 
these.  But  when  we  hear  that  the  Missionary,  after  months,  if  not 
years  of  toil,  has  at  last  so  far  mastered  their  language,  that  lie  can 
converse  with  those  perishing  immortals,  and  read  the  Bible  to  them, 
we  thank  God  for  this  and  take  courage.  And  then  comes  the  pleasing 
intelligence  that  he  can  go  about  among  them  without  danger  of  being 
killed — that  they  will  permit  him  to  enter  their  houses  and  will  listen 
to  his  conversation — this,  when  we  hear  of  it,  especially  in  reference  to 
the  Jews,  we  look  upon  as  a  great  matter.  Finally  they  come  to  him 
with  questions  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  listen  to  him  with  atten- 
tion while  he  answers  those  questions.  Then  we  look  for  more  pleas- 
ing results  ;  and  while  these  facilities  remain,  though  we  may  be  com- 
pelled to  wrait  long  and  anxiously,  to  hear  of  the  actual  conversion  of 
souls,  yet  we  never  think  of  discouragement. 

Then  if  these  things  are  prospects  of  success,  we  have  every  encou- 
ragement in  prosecuting  a  mission  among  the  Micmacs.  I  have  never 
found  the  slightest  difficulty  or  danger  in  going  among  them.  Again 
and  again  my  heart  has  been  moved  at  witnessing  the  pleasure  and 
gratitude  expressed  for  the  attention  shown  them  ;  and  the  deep  interest 
they  appeared  to  manifest  in  the  truths  of  the  New  Testament)  when 
read  to  them  in  their  own  tongue.  I  carefully  avoid  provoking  contro- 
versy ;  but  never  fail  to  point  out  their  errors  kindly,  \*  lien  an  oppor- 
tunity offers,  and  I  never  knew  this  give  offence.  Questions  on  the 
New  Testament,  and  upon  religious  subjects  are  frequently  put :  and 
the  answers  are  listened  to  with  candour  and  attention,  And  all  this 
has  continued  even  after  the  most  strenuous  exertions  have  been  made 
to  put  a  stop  to  it. 

But  I  need  not  continue  these  details.     And  after  the  deep  int 
which  has  been  manifested  on  the  subject,  by  the  Community  generally, 
any  further  arguments  or  appeals,  intended  to  arouse  the  feelings,  would 
>;e  felt  to  be  altogether  out  of  place.     But  let  those  who  are  familiar 


THS    MIC  MAC     I.MH.l.NS.  80 

with  the  Mercy  Seat,  not  forget  to  pray  for  this  object  Bring  the 
rase  of  the  poor  Indian  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  forget  not  the  Mis- 
nonary.  In  vour  best  moments,  when  you  get  the  nearest  to  your 
Heavenly  Father's  bosom ;  when  faith  lays  hold  upon  the  promises  ; 
and  praying  is  felt  to  be  a  matter  of  asking  and  receiving,  then  "  bre- 
thren pray  tor  us." 

I  do  not  know  that  a  single  convert  has  yet  been  made.  It  is  possible 
that  all  the  labors  which  may  be  expended  upon  them,  may  fail  in  being 
instrumental  in  saving  one  soul  from  death.  But  it  is  not  probahk. 
And  even  if  it  were,  that  is  not  so  much  our  affair,  as  to  see  to  it  that 
the  failure  result  from  no  neglect  of  ours.  "  I  can  do  all  things,"  says 
an  Apostle,  "  through  Christ  strengthening  me."  And  so  can  we :  while 
without  Him  "we  can  do  nothing." 

There  is  no  reason  why  the  Micmac  Indians,  may  not  be  blest,  and 
elevated  and  saved  by  the  gospel,  equally  with  any  other  people.  "  Is 
any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?"  No  race  of  human  beings  has  ever 
been  discovered,  impervious  to  the  Spirit's  power ;  nor  has  man  been 
found  in  any  condition  on  this  side  of  eternity,  in  which  the 
gospel  could  not  find  its  way  to  his  heart,  and  bring  him  clothed,  and 
in  his  right  mind,  to  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Missionary  labors  among  the 
American  Indians,  have  been  abundantly  successful.  Who  does  not 
know  of  the  labours  and  successes  of  Elliot,  and  Brainard,  and  the 
Mahews,  of  Roger  Williams ,  and  the  Moravians,  and  a  host  of  others 
both  of  former  and  later  times?  The  second  sermon  which  Elliot 
preached  to  the  Savages,  about  the  year  1646,  brought  an  aged  Indian 
to  bim,  enquiring  "  whether  it  was  not  too  late  for  such  an  old  man  as 
he,  who  was  now  near  death,  to  repent  and  seek  after  God."  Elliot 
translated  the  whole  Bible  into  the  language  of  some  of  the  tribes. 
This  was  published  in  1664,  and  was  the  first  Bible  ever  printed  in 
America*.  Through  his  labours  fourteen  towns  of  "  praying  Indians," 
as  they  were  designated,  rose  up  as  if  by  miracle,  in  the  wilderness. 

Brainard  was  equally  successful.  And  so  were  the  Moravians.  In 
spite  of  the  roving  habits  of  the  Indians,  in  spite  of  their  prejudices 
against  tne  whites,  in  spite  of  their  ignorance  and  barbarism,  in  spite  of 
the  opposition  of  their  powoivs  ;  in  spite  of  the  scattering  demoralizing 
influence  of  .war ;  in  spite  of  the  wicked  examples  of  men  bearing  the 
christian  name ;  in  spite  of  the  ruinous  effects  of  ardent  spirits ; 
in  spite  of  every  thing,  the  zealous  Moravians  persevered  in  their  labors, 
nor  did  the  God  of  all  grace  withhold  his  approbation,  and  blessing. 
Multitudes  were  converted  and  saved.  The  poor  converts  as  well  as 
their  devoted  teachers,  were  often  called  to  endure  severe  hardships, 
and  suffering.  It  is  enough  to  make  ones  blood  boil  with  indignation, 
or  curdle  with  horror,  to  read  of  the  treatment  they  suffered  at  the  hands 
of  the  white  man,  especially  in  times  of  war.  But  "what  could  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  love  of  Christ  r"  "  Could  tribulation,  or  distress,  or 
persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  ?"  "  As  it  is 
written,  for  his  sake  they  were  killed  all  the  day  long,  they  were  ac 
counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  But  in  all  these  things  they  were 
(pore  than  conquerors,  through  Him  who  had  loved  them."  Lei  the 
reader  peruse  the  book  just  referred  to,  ;uid  lip  must  acknowlege  thai 
this  application  of  the  above  impn  •  i  :•   ol  ScriotUre,  is  not  an 


40  TIIK    MIC.M.U.     I.NLMYNS. 


r& 


exaggeration.  Read  the  statement  commencing  in  page  13-1,  of  that 
work,  there  were  scalped  and  murdered  in  cold  blood,  ninety-six  per- 
sons, among  whom  irere  five  of  the  most  valuable  assistants,  and  thir- 
ty four  children.  Thus  wore  four  villages  of  christianized  Indians  des- 
troyed. Not  by  other  savages;  but  by  white  men, — or  rather  white 
demons.  Net  the  shadow  of  a  crime  was  imputed  to  these  poor  crea- 
tures. The  band  of  murderers  got  them  into  their  power,  by  the  most 
consummate  treachery  and  villainy.  They  afterwards  confessed  that 
the  sufferers  behaved  with  wonderful  patience,  "  for,  said  they,  they 
prayed  and  sang  with  their  last  breath."  And  these  whitemen  called 
themselves  christians  !  But  they  had  the  same  views  respecting  the 
Indians,  which  many  among  us  seem  to  hold,  that  they  are  a  doomed 
race,  and  that  they  are  to  be  destroyed,  and  not  saved.  They  indeed 
pushed  the  doctrine  to  extremes.  They  thought  themselves,  in  the  heat 
of  their  fanaticism,  called  upon  to  be  the  executioners  of  the  decree  of 
heaven.  JVc  would  shudder  at  this.  But,  after  all,  where  is  the  great 
difference  between  killing  a  man,  and  letting  him  die — between  starv- 
ing a  man  to  death,  and  allowing  him  to  die  of  hunger,  without  at- 
tempting to  relieve  him,  when  we  have  it  in  our  power  ?  Why  not  kill 
the  Indians  outright,  and  rid  the  land  of  them  at  once,  rather  than 
compel  them,  by  our  avarice,  and  our  apathy,  to  die  by  inches — to 
waste  away  and  suffer,  and  perish  eternally,  while  we  put  forth  no 
effort  to  save  them  ?  But  why  do  I  write  thus  ?  Surely  there  is  no 
heart  so  callous,  as  not  to  feel  for  their  wrongs.  Surely  there  is  no  one 
who  would  not  rejoice  at  the  opportunity  of  redressing  those  wrongs, 
and  of  doing  them  good. 

We  have  no  reason  for  desponding.  There  are  now  many  flourish- 
ing missionaiy  stations  among  other  tribes  of  Indians.  In  the  United 
States,  and  in  Canada,  the  Episcopalians,  the  Methodists,  the  Baptists, 
and  other  denominations,  are  labouring  among  them  with  great  su 
Large  flourishing  settlements,  with  farms,  and  houses,  and  cattle,  and 
schools,  and  places  of  worship,  and  educated  Indian  preachers,  and  in- 
dustry, and  order,  and  bright  example  of  christian  character,  and 
bright  hopes,  and  joy,  and  triumphant  death  beds  are  among  the  obvi- 
ous fruits  of  those  missions.    Why  may  we  not  look  tor  the  same  here? 

The  number  of  Mieniacs  cannol  be  far  short  of  2000.  They  are 
scattered  over  Nova  Scotia,  Cape  Breton,  Prince  Edward  Island,  New- 
foundland, and  the  Eastern  and  Northern  portions  of  New  Brunswick. 
In  most  of  those  places  they  have  large  tracts  of  land.  In  Cape  Breton 
government  has  secured  to  them  14000  acres,  of  an  excellent  quality. 
Pew  therefore  as  they  are  in  their  dispersions,  what  a  host  they  would 
form,  collected  into  one  village,  or  district.  And  even  to  be  the 
means  of  "saving  the  soul  of  one"  of  them,  would  be  a  large  reward 
for  all  the  labor  and  expense  which  can  possibly  be  employed.  May 
He  who  is  the  author  of  all  good,  give  wisdom  and  grace  1o  us  all,  and 
crown  our  efforts  with  success. 


*V.  "  Missions  to  the  North   American  Indians,"  published  by  the  Religious 
Tract  Society,  page  21.     This  is  an  exceedingly  interesting  Imlc  worU.anxi 
to  be  in  every  ones  hands 


/